The Chance
by Collarander the Unicorn
Summary: P3 - A year after the Answer, Mitsuru brings news of a sudden hope for the SEES. Could there really be a way to bring him back? Chapter 15: March the 31st. A happy ending? Read and see; Fic is Complete!
1. Final Memory

Chapter 1: Final Memory

"Whoa! I can't believe it! The school year is finally over and we're graduating baby! Time to party people!" A tall third year student cried happily as he punched the air.

"Stu-pei…! We might be graduating today, which I'm pretty amazed you did, but aren't you planning on going to college?" The girl standing next to him replied.

"Uhh- man Yuka-tan! Don't ruin it by reminding me! We still have the entire summer break before we have to think of that!!" He complained loudly.

Yukari sighed, "Well, since Mitsuru-senpai isn't here to remind you, somebody has to do it." The teenaged boy looked back at her with a crestfallen expression, then suddenly broke into a grin, "Look! I see Aigis and Fuuka!! Let's get going shall we?" He said, turning away from the pink clad girl before she could retort with any more unhappy responses.

The girl sighed again, "Junpei…"

The pair were approached by two other females, a shy looking girl with teal coloured hair, and a blond girl who had some odd resemblance to a robot.

"The ceremony is due to begin soon. We should all assemble at the school hall." The blond girl spoke as she joined the pair. She greeted everybody with a warm smile.

"Right on Aigis! So let's go!!" Junpei agreed, obviously attempting to ignore Yukari's expression of annoyance as she opened her mouth to admonish him again. But before she had a chance to speak he turned and raced up the stairs. The three girls left behind exchanged looks of exasperation then turned and headed off after him.

- - - - -

They all seated themselves in the centre rows in the hall.

"Whew, we got here just in time. I was afraid we would be late." The teal haired Fuuka whispered with concern to her friends.

"Relax! Like we'd be late to our own graduation!" Junpei called back.

Suddenly the room went quiet, and the principal was on the podium before them; "First I would like to congratulate all the students of Gekkokan High for another wonderful year. As for the seniors, I must wish you all a pleasant future as you depart from this school onto your journey…"

"Hey, weren't Mitsuru-senpai and Akihiko-senpai going to come today?" Yukari quietly asked her friends, ignoring the usual long winded speech of the school headmaster.

"They are here, along with Koromaru and Ken-san. They are sitting at the back of this hall." Aigis informed.

"Oh really? I didn't notice. We should go talk to them once this is over. Hope the speeches don't go on forever!" Junpei replied in a loud whisper.

"Iori-san! Stop talking! Or do I sense a student wishing to repeat his third year?" A woman's voice snared in their direction. The group all turned to see the stern face of their teacher, Ms. Toriumi glaring at them. "Ahhh…guess we gotta wait till this is all over…man, why am I the one that gets caught?" Junpei added embarrassed, while his classmates giggled.

- - - - -

"Man that took ages! Who would have thought graduation was such a bore?" Junpei exclaimed as they headed out of the hall once the ceremony was over, "Hey, where are we meeting again?" He asked the trio of girls.

"The rooftop! How could you have forgotten?" Yukari answered, somewhat annoyed. "Hey whoa, you know me Yuka-tan. I save the listening for other people. But I can't wait to see the others. Wonder how they're doing?"

The group emerged into the open air of the rooftop. Four figures already stood there waiting, a red headed woman turned towards them and smiled as she noticed their approach, "Congratulations to you all, for graduating Gekkokan High School."

"Thank you! Mitsuru-senpai!" Fuuka replied, "How are you all doing if you don't mind me asking?"

"Woof! Woof!!"

"I think Koromaru says he's doing good." A young boy replied, "We're all doing pretty well huh?"

"Yeah Ken! Haven't seen you for a while since we all left the dorm!" Junpei commented ecstatically.

"I haven't been doing much, just studying. Life got a bit boring after all the shadows." Ken replied with a shrug.

"You got that right!" Junpei whinged loudly. "Man I wish we could all go party in Tartarus or something, for old times sake! Now that would be awesome!"

"Tartarus…?" One of the girls whispered behind him. Junpei turned and looked round at all the faces, everybody had suddenly turned gloomy. "What….? Did I say something wrong…?" He asked, looking bewildered. Nobody spoke. Yukari finally answered angrily, "Stu-pei…you know…him…He should have been graduating here with us too…Why did you have to suddenly bring it up like that?!"

"Whoa!! Sorry! Sorry!! I…forgot…" He responded, looking appalled.

"Yeah, easy for you to forget! Like you don't care or something!! It's been exactly a whole year since…" Yukari faltered and stared at the ground, her hands wiping away sudden tears. The other members of the group were staring silently at the ground as well.

"…nice going Junpei." The grey haired student commented coldly. Koromaru whimpered sadly at him.

Silence passed for a few minutes until finally a voice cut through their thoughts. "Since we are already on the topic, I have a proposition I need to ask of you all." The red haired woman spoke. Everybody turned to her, looking confused,

"Already on…what topic?" Akihiko responded. Mitsuru glared at him, as if he were making a joke, then continued, "…Minato Arisato." The group stared at her, some with surprise, the others with shock.

"What do you mean…? What's there to talk about…?" Yukari asked. The redhead continued, ignoring the obvious uncomfortability, "The Kirijo group has been conducting research into the Shadows, the Dark Hour-"

"So what? Weren't they always doing that?" Junpei interrupted. Mitsuru frowned at him, then continued down her train of speech, "and the Seal that separates Nyx from the calls of humanity."

A deathly silence fell over the group. "And?!" Yukari demanded, both anger and hope evident in her voice. The older student did not seem fazed by her reaction, "Well to say the least, there is possibility of a chance." She finished.

"A chance? A chance to what…?" Yukari asked again. She glared at the redhead, willing her to go on, but there was no response. The expression on her face was enough for the entire group to read. Fuuka gasped, "Mitsuru-senpai, you're not saying…"

"But how is that possible?" Akihiko interjected, causing all eyes to turn back to the young woman. Mitsuru pursed her lips, looking wryly round at the desperate look of the faces before her.

"The research the Kirijo Group found was that the Seal is being maintained by a form of energy emanating from within…a life source." She paused, leaving time for her information to sink in. "It seems there is a possibility that the energy within it may we say, be switched. But of course, there will be much danger and risk involved, and though I thought such a mission to be fruitless, I could not make this judgement without consultation with the rest of you. This is a decision the S.E.E.S must make together."

"No way…" Yukari replied with disbelief, "There really is a way to make him come back…?"

"I did not expect such a thing to be possible. But if we choose to do this, will it once again mean pose a risk towards humanity?"

"…no Aigis. Since you have acquired similar ability to what he had, you should be able to hold the Seal intact while the replacement is taking place. It is, rather a much more foolproof plan than what we may have decided last year on March the 31st." Mitsuru added. Junpei looked around to see what the reactions of his friends were, his own face written with shock. "But seriously, even if we did, what exactly are we replacing it with?"

"That will be the hard part. As I'm sure you've all realised, a normal being's life force is not suitable. The energy required for this task is that of…the persona."

"Wait! You want us to kill our personas?!" Junpei exclaimed in surprise, looking at the redhead as if she were some form of alien. The corners of the older woman's mouth twitched slightly, but she continued in a steady vein, "No, not our personas, what we need…are shadows."

"Oh, I understand. I remember Metis telling us, the personas and the shadows are the same. But, there are no shadows left now Mitsuru-senpai." One of the other girls spoke, with a tone of defeat.

"Yamagishi, I'm sure you can no longer sense the larger shadows that we once battled, but shadows will always exist. As many people there are that regret, so too will shadows continue to form. The proof is in our personas; if shadows were truly gone from our world, our evokers should no longer be operable, but I'm sure as many of you have noticed, they are still fully functional."

"But then, what are the risks we're facing if we try to do this?" The grey haired teen asked from his seat on the bench, "Getting back into the ring with those monsters isn't going to be easy."

"I should explain, before you all become too caught up in this possibility. If we intend to make this switch, we will need to journey to where the Seal was formed…hovering between Nyx and Erebus…life and death."

"You mean we might end up having to fight both of those monsters?!" Junpei exclaimed; though he was not the only person shocked, the other members of the team were looking unsure and frightened as well.

"As I said, it is a tough decision, even if it does not jeopardize the life of humanity. I would like us to come to an agreement in three days time. Think on it. We will meet…at our old dorm lounge at noon." Mitsuru finished, looking grim. They others exchanged looks of worry; the holidays began to look a lot more serious.

_~Hmm I hope I got the details correct, I'm not really sure how those name ending things work in Japanese, if they're at different schools, do Mitsuru and Akihiko still get called "senpai"? And then there's the –chan and –kun etc. Not sure who went about using them anymore though. Well I'll stick to what I know, and you guys can hopefully ignore all my mistakes. lol~_


	2. Our Decision

Chapter 2: Our Decision

The wooden door opened into a dusty lobby that contained a desk on the left and a group of sofas set in a rectangle on the right. Two girls stepped into the room, one had hair of a light brown colouring while the other was blond.

"It seems we are the first to arrive." The blond girl spoke mechanically. "They others should be here soon."

"Yeah." The other girl replied as she stepped over to the seats, dusted it lightly with her hand and sat down. "I can't believe it's been a year since we left. Everything looks so familiar, it brings back memories." Yukari added, a slightly glassy look in her eyes as she scanned the area. "So…Aigis. What have you decided…? Because I want to take this chance. There's no way I could give it up, but I would like your support, especially after…last year."

"Me? I have thought about it much the last few days. This time I know it may only mean my life if I fail, I am more inclined to agree."

"Really?! So that means, you wanna give it a try too right?"

"I swore to protect him, but now I see the vast majority of this world and I know it is impossible to change all of humanity. So I have been looking for another possibility, this may be it."

The door to the dorm opened again and the pair were momentarily blinded by the sunlight that filtered through as they turned to look. "Oh good Koro-chan! I thought we might be late!" A young boy's voice spoke. A dog replied with happiness, "Woof!"

"Ken, Koromaru, it is nice to see you both." Aigis greeted, "Come have a seat with us."

"Oh hey Yukari-san." The boy said as he took a seat on one of the vacant sofas. "This is strange huh? Being back here like this. I thought we left this place for good."

"Yeah it is. I wonder why the door was unlocked though. Mitsuru-senpai had this place locked down when we all left. Maybe she did this…"

The door opened once again and the group were thrown into another blinding glare. Three people entered, a girl and two teenaged boys. "Oh, Yukari-chan, Ken, Korormaru, you're all here already." The girl, Fuuka spoke. "Looks like the only one left now is the empress." Akihiko added, "Strange though. She was always the earliest, for all the meetings at college."

"Nice of you to remember that." A voice spoke from the hallway. Everybody turn to see the redheaded young woman heading towards them. "Wait…you were here the whole time?" Yukari asked surprised, "Where were you?"

"I was on the fourth floor, inspecting our old equipment. I was afraid we might have left something important behind…" She trailed off, eyes moving from the others to the floor.

"Uh…something wrong senpai?" Junpei inquired curiously. Mitsuru broke out of her trance to find the others all watching her. Looking embarrassed, she cleared her throat and began again, "Well we are all here. I have already given you all the details about the mission and what it will require of us if we choose to proceed with it. You all also know the risks associated. Have we all made our decisions?"

The members of S.E.E.S glanced around at one another; obviously waiting for somebody else to speak first. Mitsuru waited patiently, her arms crossed over her front, this was a difficult decision, she would give them all the time they needed. Yukari finally broke the silence. She stood up awkwardly from her position on the sofa, and all the eyes turned to her. "I'm sure you all already know what I think, I want to do this. I want to take this chance. I think we can do it! For us, and for him."

There was a pause, Mitsuru nodded at her response, and Yukari sat back down, a relieved expression on her face. "I agree with Yukari. I want to protect him, and I will do everything in my power to make him happy. My purpose was to put his life before mine, and if what you say is true, I am willing to give my life for his cause."

Mitsuru nodded in understanding at the response from Aigis. "Well?" She asked, her gazed falling onto the others that had yet to speak, "I want to hear what you all think."

"Yeah…I'm still not totally sure man. This is some risky business. But y'know, I was thinking, he gave his life for us, so I think I owe it to him to give it back. I don't really want to go back to that place though, it gave me the creeps…" Junpei said, fear written on his face, "But yeah, I guess we could try."

"How about you Akihiko?" Mitsuru continued, turning to face him, "I am aware of the position you took last year."

"It's like getting into the ring all over again. All I have to lose is my pride. Whatever I choose to do now won't affect anybody else, so I'm willing to get out there to make a knockout." Akihiko answered. Everybody gave him a look of surprise.

"Very perceptive," Mitsuru replied, a hint of laughter in her voice, "Now, what about Ken, Fuuka, and Koromaru?" Her eyes lingered on the three that she had just mentioned. Ken looked from left to right of the room, then said, "He…didn't seem to mind dying, so I don't know…If we try to bring him back, is it really for us or for him…?"

"Oh come on Ken-kun!" Yukari growled, her expression fuming as she rounded on the boy, "If he never wanted to live, he could have killed Ryoji and waited to die! But he didn't, he fought with us! He only created the Seal because he had no choice!!"

Ken looked taken aback, cowering under the glare of the brunette girl.

"Hey, you're frightening him Yukari-chan. He has the right to-"

"No! Listen Fuuka! This is our chance, I thought we lost it all last year, but now, we have a proper chance! I want to see him, and I know he wants to be with us too! I'm not giving in, and I'll fight you all again if I have to!!" Yukari yelled angrily, her expression contorted with anger and pain. "Every night…after we found what really happened against Nyx, I watch the moon, and I think about him…is he still there? Still watching over us all? …and then I wonder why, why didn't we do something when we had the chance…!? I can't and I won't give this one up!" Yukari finished, her tone changed considerably as her emotions grew. She dropped back onto the seat, her hands over her face hiding tears that were evident even if the drops could not be seen. Her sobs left the other members of the team speechless, the canine trotted over to her and laid his head against her lap, letting out a sad whimper of empathy.

"I-I'm sorry…" Yukari stammered between her sobs, "I just…miss him so much…"

"We all do Yukari-chan," Fuuka consoled sadly, "that is why, if we are planning on carrying out this mission, I would be happy to offer my support. Especially if shadows are involved, I want to help change this world too."

Everybody looked surprised at the words of the shy girl. Fuuka didn't look away as usual, her own resolve was written in her face, "I've always wanted to help others, even before my own sake. That was why Juno was born. So I'll help now in any way I can."

They all nodded, Junpei grinned at her and joked, "Man Fuuka, you're turning out to be like Mitsuru-senpai, with all those big speeches. Maybe you should have tried for student council rep!"

"I-…I don't, think so…" Fuuka replied, her tone suddenly becoming unsteady once more as her face reddened.

"Don't embarrass her Iori." The redhead scolded, "Though I am impressed by your resolve Yamagishi, it will be needed if we are to attempt this." Fuuka, if possible, turned ever redder understanding the praise of her senior and stammered a thanks. Mitsuru turned to the last remaining member to speak, "Koromaru, if you would give us your decision?"

The white canine yipped and stepped away from the brunette girl who had finally stemmed her tears, he turned and walked over to the girl with teal coloured hair and barked loudly, his tongue lolling out and ears perked up. Everybody smiled at the response the dog provided, even Yukari, though she hiccupped away a small sob as she did.

"You've decided to join as well. That leaves one person objecting." Mitsuru stated, and all eyes turned towards the youngest member of the squad. Ken looked morose as he spoke, "I just don't know if what we're doing is right…I thought we all put it behind us after what happened at the Abyss of Time...I know I did. So, I can't just go back now…Sorry guys…"

"I respect your decision Amada. This is why I called you all here to express your own feelings, though I will be saddened to know you won't be joining us."

"I'm sorry…" Ken said again, "I suppose I should just go now. Since I'm not going with you guys." He added as he got up from his seat and started towards the door.

"Hey Ken! Just stay with us man!" Junpei called after him as the boy reached out and grasped the door handle. The young boy turned back with an unhappy expression, "I just…can't." He said as he pulled open the door, "See ya guys." He added, and as the door swung close again, he was gone.

"What a bummer!" Junpei exclaimed to the room in general, nobody else voiced an opinion.

Aigis looked around at the remaining members, then towards the redhead, "Mitsuru-senpai, you did not tell us your decision."

"Me?" Mitsuru asked surprised, "Well I thought that was obvious. Now, if you all would follow me up to the fourth floor." She commanded as she turned and strode off. The others shrugged at one another, then one by one, got up from their seats and headed off up the staircase after her.


	3. Planning

Chapter 3 – Planning

The group of seven sat crowded around a small coffee table. One side of the room was crammed with books and electronical devices. Mitsuru sat at the head of the table, while the others watched her expectantly, with an occasional glance at the objects piled onto the tabletop; red armbands bearing the letters "S.E.E.S", a set of headphones, weapons of varying shapes and sizes and many other mechanical bits of equipment.

"I have all the equipment that will be required for our mission here." She said, motioning towards the objects on the table with a wave of her hand. Everybody now turned to inspect the items with renewed interest.

"What's that?" Junpei asked curiously, prodding a large canister from which many wires protruded.

"That is our energy storage device. The other pieces next to it are adaptors, which we will need to attach to our weapons in order to obtain the energy taken from slain shadows. Once the storage device is full, we can commence the next part of our operation. I have also brought along all our communication devices, they have already been tuned and prepared. We are ready to begin the moment we leave."

"So for now, you just want us to beat up shadows?" The silver haired teen enquired, "Where did you say we were going to find them again?"

"Yamagishi should be able to detect them. But I already have a location in mind. Not too far from here, the area is known for dark deeds, and containing strong emotions of anger and sadness. We ourselves have experienced this firsthand at this place. I'm sure you all know where I am suggesting?" Mitsuru asked. The others all looked dumbfounded. Junpei gave the redheaded senior a look of absolute horror, "You don't mean, the back alley in Port Island Station?! We barely made it out of there the other times we went!!" He cried in disbelief. Mitsuru looked amused, "Yes, that is exactly the location where I want to scout for shadows. I'm sure you all agree that it is suitable?"

"B-but-" Junpei stuttered in fear. Akihiko turned towards the frightened teen, "Yeah I understand where you're coming from Junpei, we all have bad memories there, I personally don't feel good going back. But I'm not gonna let that stop me."

"Whoa, Akihiko-senpai, captain of the boxing team admitting he's scared? Now I feel even worse!!" Junpei exclaimed. Mitsuru ignored the emotional whinging from the teenager and instead turned towards the shy looking girl, "Yamagishi, I want you to summon Juno and search for the slightest detection of a shadow in the Port Island Station."

"Okay senpai." Fuuka agreed meekly. She reached into her pocket and withdrew the gun-like evoker. She raised it up to her head, and with a deep breath, pulled back the trigger. The blast that sounded was like shattering glass, and suddenly the Persona came forth, enveloping the girl with its large form.

"Wait a minute!" Junpei exclaimed again, "You brought your evoker Fuuka?!" He questioned loudly, Yukari gave him an annoyed glare, "Of course she did. I did too." She said exasperated, as she pulled out her own evoker from her bag.

"But what-! I thought we were only deciding what to do today. You didn't bring yours too…?" He rounded onto the other members of the team. "Actually…" Akihiko trailed off, then slid his own evoker from his belt. Junpei turned to the robot-like Aigis, with an almost desperate note of, "Ai-chan…?", and found she too was holding the metallic weapon in her hands, then he turned to Mitsuru, who, with much amusement written on her face, pushed aside the red armbands on the table to reveal her own evoker. "Koromaru's evoker is here too. I brought it along." She could barely contain the laughter in her voice as she gestured towards another piece of obscured equipment within the array on the table. Mitsuru looked around at the people before her, nearly all of which carried one of the gun-like objects, "I guess I'm not the only one who came already knowing our decision. I'm glad I had everything set up today. I even had this dorm put back into service for us. Now I know I was not mistaken."

Yukari looked surprised, "Wow, you really had everything sorted out senpai. Does that mean we're spending the whole summer break here?"

"I suppose so. Since you are all graduating and no longer students of Gekkokan High, I'm sure you all will have begun packing. You can bring all your possessions back to this dorm for the meantime, until it is time to move away to your respective colleges. And Yamagishi, any sign?"

The voice that came from the persona was unmistakably from the teal haired girl, but its sound reverberated and echoed in the large room. "Yes, I have detected shadows. But they are very small, I cannot pinpoint where they are, almost as if they're not on the surface…"

"But you can confirm that there are shadows in the area?" Mitsuru asked again. The girl replied from within the large shape, "Yes. The signals from the shadows are unmistakable." Her statement left a chill in the room. The other members were undoubtedly remembering their past experiences with the evil beings called 'shadows.' The large figure of the persona, Juno, suddenly faded and dissipated into thin air, leaving only the standing, but tired form of Fuuka Yamagishi. Mitsuru nodded at her in gratitude, then addressed the room, "This concludes our meeting, as I know you all have much to think about, and will need time to rest before we begin. I would like you all to return here tomorrow with your belongings, and then the first phase of our mission will begin. For now, I have ordered dinner. They delivery is scheduled to arrive at any minute, so we should all return to the lounge."

"You got us dinner?! Is it sushi??" Junpei asked excitedly, "The same kind we had last time?! That stuff was awesome!"

The redheaded senior smiled, "Yes, I believed you all enjoyed it the previous time? Then we should have no problems."

"Yeah!!" Junpei exclaimed, "I'm gonna see if it's here yet!" And with a start, he jumped from his seat and bolted down the stairs. The rest of the team laughed, and followed, except for Yukari. She hung back as the others filed out of the room, until only her and Mitsuru remained.

"Something on your mind Takeba?" Mitsuru asked, as she tidied up the contents strewn on the table.

"Well…yeah. About Ken-kun…I shouldn't have yelled at him, that was wrong of me…and now he's missing out on all this too…" Yukari replied guiltily.

"I don't doubt that your passion does get ahead of you sometimes Takeba. But Amada made the decision not to carry out this mission on his own. If I had asked him to stay, even for this time we are all spending together, I would have felt myself forcing him to join."

"But still…I don't know why he won't help either. Everybody else is…"

"Amada is an independent person. He knows what his purpose in life is, and chooses his own path. I cannot dispute this with him." Mitsuru stated, finally done straightening the table and standing up. Yukari sighed, "I guess you're right…Thanks for listening senpai."


	4. Moving Out, Moving In

Chapter 4: Moving Out, Moving In

"Hey Aigis. Do you think you could help me grab that suitcase?" Yukari asked as she herself lugged a huge backpack over her shoulder. The other girl nodded, walked over to the large green baggage and picked it up in one smooth motion that did no justice to how much it really weighed. "Anything else you require Yukari-chan?" She queried.

"Wow, I forgot how strong you were!" Yukari exclaimed in surprise,"No that's fine, sorry for making you carry my luggage."She addedapologetically.

"It is no problem," Aigis said with a smile, "as I have so few things of my own to carry." She finished as she started out the door of the girl's shared dormitory. The remaining girl watched her with an expression of sadness at her statement as she noticed the tiny bag of belongings Aigis had. Then suddenly, she chased after the blond girl, calling out to her, "Oh…Aigis! We should go shopping one day now that it's spring break! We could get new outfits at Paulownia Mall!! And I'm sure there are lots of other things you might like."

The blond looked back over her shoulder quizzically. "But, Yukari-chan, I already have a functional outfit. And I already possess any essential items I require." She said in a no-nonsense tone, the brunette girl suddenly burst into a fit of giggles.

"What is it that is so funny?" Aigis asked, looking more confused by the second.

"Oh, Aigis, it's just that," Yukari began between small fits of laughter, "shopping isn't bout just getting things we need. It's about buying things we want. And anyway, you can't go wearing that uniform anymore, you've graduated from school now."

Aigis looked down at her own clothing; a white shirt fitted under a dark coat and skirt, with a large red ribbon to finish it off. "But this outfit is very comfortable. It is easy to move in, and I looked like all the other students." She responded logically, making her companion grin once again.

"If you say so, but once we're done with all this, remind me to take you shopping." Yukari replied, "But for now, let's just concentrate on getting to the old dorm. Com'on, I'll race you!"

"Agreed." Aigis replied as her friend bolted off, bag swinging wildly on her back. The blond girl gripped the luggage she carried tightly and quickly gave chase after her.

- - - - -

Fuuka wandered out to the large disposal bin outside her current residence. She looked sadly at the armload of flowers she carried, a feeling of deep regret welling up inside as she noticed the trash unit before her. "Well, I guess this can't be helped. I can always get new flowers when I've moved back into the old dorm."

With a sigh, the green haired teenager dropped the contents of her arms into the bin, then turned and walked back into the dormitory building she had been residing in for the last school year.

Her room was much less colourful without her floral decorations. On her bed lay a few more garments waiting to be packed in the bags that housed nearly all the rest of her belongings. Fuuka walked over to her bed and begun to fold the last pieces of clothing for packing; they were newly wash and dried from the laundry. As she forced her last sweater into the overflowing bag, she noticed the unfolded letter sitting on her desk. She picked it up and read the words once again with a feeling of warmth and happiness,

'_Hey Fuuka, how're ya doing? Since I started at my new school, I joined into a lot of different clubs and I really tried hard with all the work, and I'm amazed that I actually made it through. I hope you're doing really well too. Congratulations on graduating, which college are you going to? Maybe we'll end up at the same one (fingers crossed). Anyway, I really wanted to say thanks Fuuka, for believing in me. You really helped me out lots! Hope to see you sometime. Love, Natsuki.'_

Fuuka held the letter close to her, with a reminiscent smile. Suddenly somebody rapped on the door, and a man's voice called, "Yamagishi? You're moving out today right? I wanted to let you know that I received your paperwork, so you're free to go anytime! It was nice having you as a resident!" The sound of footsteps became faint as the proprietor walked off. Fuuka looked sadly around at her room, "Guess I better get going." She said to herself. She picked up the bag in one hand, and carried the letter in her other and headed for the door. Giving the room one last look as she passed out the doorway, Fuuka headed off back for her old home.

- - - - -

"Dude, it's all over! Yes!!" Junpei cried happily as he swung back on his chair and threw his arms into the air.

"Are you so happy to be rid of us?" Another teenager asked as he entered the lounge where the young man sat.

"What? Oh no Hideki, I meant, now that's I'm moving outta this dorm, I'm officially no longer a student of Gekkoukan High School! My dream has finally come true!!"

'Hahaha. Man, take it easy. We still have to sort out applications for college now, I heard that applying is harder than the finals we just had."

"No kidding?! Serious?!" Junpei asked shocked, his chair landing back onto four legs as its occupant fell back down to earth.

"That's what I heard." His friend replied, "Hey, you're moving out today right Junpei? Good luck huh. Me and Kaito are staying for a lil while longer till we sort it all out."

"Oh yeah, I am. That reminds me, I should get packing." Junpei mused to himself. His companion looked at him strangely, then asked hesitantly, "You mean…you haven't started…?"

"Nah not yet. But it shouldn't take too long right?"

Hideki decided not to answer, instead he replied, "Well, I better get going. I'm meeting some others at the arcade."

"Right, see ya man!" Junpei called as he watched his former dorm mate leave. "Well, time for some serious packing!" He added to himself as he clambered off his seat and into his room.

- - - - -

The door to the dormitory opened as a silver haired student walked in, carrying a full duffel bag. He looked around the room to find the place empty, then dropped the bag against the wall and took a break, "I'm glad I decided to travel light. I might not have made it if I brought everything with me. That was one hell of a walk." He gasped gently as he leaned against the desk. A loud bark suddenly made him jump. He turned in the direction of the sofa to find a ball of white fur, "Oh hey Koro, didn't see ya there. Anybody else here yet?" He asked. Koromaru barked again, tongue hanging out.

"You're back." A woman's voice spoke. Akihiko jumped again to find his old classmate watching him, her arms crossed over her chest. Her expression was serious and Akihiko couldn't help but feel a little miffed that she didn't even seem welcoming in the slightest to see him there.

"It looks like you've already moved in." He replied, "Seems you had a lot of things sorted early, if you know what I mean." He added, somewhat annoyed.

Mitsuru frowned slightly, "And what do you mean by that?" She questioned. Akihiko straightened up, then looked defiantly into her eyes, "You know exactly what I mean. So, why have the Kirijo Group still been looking into all this, after an entire year since it ended? And it seems obvious you intended for us to join you on this little escapade before we even had a chance to give you an answer; why now? And why this?"

Her frown deepened, but she replied in a strong vein, "I vowed to take over my father's business. One of the larger aspects of such were the shadows, while they remain existent, I cannot abandon my duty."

"Still, with the Seal and all, humanity isn't in danger anymore. Shouldn't the Kirijo Group be moving on to better things?"

The redhead shot him an angry glare at his statement. "I am the heiress to my father's work and lineage. I will not abandon his life's work on a mere whim!" She growled back, losing her formal composure.

"So instead, you drag us all back into it?!" The silver haired man retaliated back, "You know, everybody else might believe you had this noble quest in mind to save Arisato. But I've known you for longer, and I know you have other reasons."

"Maybe this is the exact reason as to why I do not share my personal business, when others around me have such little trust!" She snared, shooting him daggers with her eyes before whirling around and striding off to her own room. Koromaru whimpered sadly as he watched her leave, unsure of what was going on.

"Can't believe her…" Akihiko muttered to the dog "after all we've been through and she won't even share her own feelings." He looked down the empty hall that the redhead had vacated, checking for any sign of sound or motion, then with a shrug to himself, picked up the bag that lay forgotten against the wall and headed off to the second floor. Koromaru let out a low whine and sat with his tail between his legs and ears dropping as he watched his other friend walk off.

- - - - -

"Whoa, whoa! Fuuka!! Hey!!"

The teenaged girl looked around in confusion for the voice calling her name, she suddenly located it behind a mass of moving luggage, much of which was oddly shaped and looked very untidy. The voice called out to her again, "Fuuka! Wait…up!!"

Curiously, Fuuka walked over to see who was within the baggage. "Junpei-kun!" She exclaimed in surprise, then, "…what are you doing?"

"What does…it look like…?" Junpei panted, "We're moving back…to the dorm today…right?"

"But…Why are all your bags half packed...? And…is that…a plate in there?!" She exclaimed as she examined the bags he carried.

"What?!" Junpei replied in shock, dropping the many bags he carried and taking a look. "Wow, whaddya know, it is a plate!" He said, scratching the back of his head in embarrassment, "Must've packed it by accident…"

"Junpei…just when did you start packing?" Fuuka asked.

"Huh? Well, bout an hour ago actually." Junpei replied, not understanding the look of surprise that crossed the girl's face.

"Hey Fuuka, is that you?" A girl's voice called from behind them. They both turned to see a pair of girls, both sporting large cases of luggage in their arms.

"Yukari-chan! Aigis-chan!" Fuuka said with a smile. The two girls approached them, Yukari then noticed the other person heaving over his luggage. "Stupei! You're a mess!!" She exclaimed. Junpei made an odd noise as he attempted to pick up all the bags again, the others watched him with interest.

"Do you require assistance Junpei-kun?" Aigis asked as she watched his fruitless attempts.

"No…I can do it myself…" Junpei replied, still struggling.

Yukari sighed, then went and grabbed the bag that the teenaged boy was about to pick up. "If we let you carry these yourself, we'll never make it there today!" She scolded, handing the bag to the other girls then picking up another. Junpei gave her a funny look, a mix between gratitude and shock, then spoke, "Thanks Yuka-tan! I owe ya one!"

"Yeah, yeah, but don't go expecting anymore favours." She replied with a hint of a true smile, then motioned to the rest of the group, "Let's get going!"


	5. A Good Night's Sleep

Chapter 5 – A Good Night's Sleep

"Wow! That looks great Fuuka!!" Yukari exclaimed as she gaped upon the table laden with hot, steaming dishes of food. The girl she had compliment blushed, "I'm glad you like it, I've been practicing the whole year."

"And it really paid off! Fuuka you're my hero!!" Junpei said with a grin as he jumped into one of the seats, staring with anticipation at the many delicacies before him.

"Thank you!!" Fuuka exclaimed, overjoyed by the praise, "Now you should all start eating before it gets cold!"

"Don't mind if I do!" Junpei replied, immediately grabbing the nearest tongs and piling up his plate.

"Stupei, don't be such a pig!" Yukari admonished, causing the teenaged boy who she had just spoken to, to cry out in defence, spitting droplets of chewed food as he did.

"UGH!!" Yukari exclaimed.

The other students were also arriving. They had all spent the day unpacking and tidying their old dorms, amazed at how much dust had accumulated in their one year absence. The two senior students sat far apart, ignoring each other with an obvious coldness as they served themselves.

"Umm...is something wrong, Akihiko senpai?" Junpei had the courage to ask. The silver haired student he address looked up, glanced over at the redhead, then back to his addresser, "No, nothing's wrong. Why are you asking?" He replied in the most unconvincing tone of voice.

"…uhh…right. No reason..." Junpei responsed, unsure if he should continue, then with a shrug, turned back to his plate.

The white dog headed over to the blond girl, who immediately handed the canine a few scraps, much to his delight. Koromaru grabbed a large bone, and began to chew it, with much enthusiasm.

"Hey Aigis! Don't feed him scraps…!" Yukari said.

"It's alright, eh Koro-chan? See Yuka-tan, he doesn't mind!" Junpei defended with a grin as the white dog let out a happy yip. The brunette girl sighed and returned her focus to her own dish.

"What was that Koro-chan…?" Aigis suddenly asked, leaning in closer to listen to the canine's 'words'. "Akihiko-san, and Mitsuru-san…fighting…?"

Both the redhead and the silver haired individuals whose names had just been spoken choked and coughed on their food, causing the rest of the students to stare at them in alarm.

"Damn dog, it's none of your business!" Akihiko growled, dropping his plate onto the table loudly and giving the dog a glare. Koromaru cowered under his reaction and whined sadly, the other students were still staring in states of shock.

The rest of the meal passed silently, nobody knew what to say to strike up conversation; the only noise was that of cutlery against plate. The moment they were finished, both the two senior students stood up and left; Mitsuru disappeared to the fourth floor, and Akihiko out the front door.

"I wonder what is wrong?" Aigis asked, but Koromaru, after being berated for his slip, did not voice any more details.

"Hey, you need help with the dishes Fuuka?" Yukari asked, as the shy girl began to pick up the empty plates. She turned towards the brunette girl, and said hesitantly, "Well if you don't mind…"

"Sure! I'll be glad to help!" Yukari replied with a smile, as she began to pick up glasses.

"I would like to assist too." Aigis offered, as she began to pick up the remaining bits of cutlery. Fuuka smiled, and the trio all headed off for the kitchen.

"Hey, what about me?" Junpei asked, looking around. Koromaru whined, then walked over to him. "Guess it's just us then Koro-chan." He said, as he reached down and petted the panting dog. "Let's see what's on t.v then."

- - - - -

Akihiko sat at the arcade. He had spent the last few hours on the same game, Battle Titans. But his mind kept drifting off into thought. Just what had Mitsuru been planning? And why wouldn't she tell anybody? Was there some sort of risk associated with it? Didn't she realise that he and the others cared about her? But no, whatever it was, she was keeping her lips sealed. Just like her regular old self. Akihiko mused. He reached into his pocket to fish out more yen for the machine, only to find it empty. He stood up, and swinging his jacket over his shoulder, exited the arcade and decided to head back to the dorms. It was past midnight, and the streets were dark, but this didn't faze him a bit. The usual mutterings sounded from the dark corners of the Port Island station, but something sounded different, as if a fight were taking place, but he paid them no attention. His mind was still thinking about the night's topic as he boarded the train.

Just what was Mitsuru planning to do? He wondered again as he watched the houses stream past his window. He hadn't seen her as much as usual now that they were at college, they only shared one class. But from the looks of it, she hadn't changed, immediately applying as President of the Student Association, not to mention winning the position…by a long shot.

He got off the train as it stopped at its usual route at Iwatodai Station. Jacket still slung over his shoulder, he mused over his trip back, he could barely remember any of it because his mind had been too deep in thought. The dorm was dark, no lights came from any of the windows. Akihiko stepped up to the door, and was about to fit his key into the slot when a thought suddenly hit him.

Port Island Station.

The screaming voices.

The darkness he had felt.

He quickly forced the door opened and raced into the hall. Thundering up the stairs, he was amazed nobody had woken up yet. He opened the door into the meeting room on the fourth floor and grabbed the microphone for the dorm announcements.

"Hey! Everybody! Wake up!! We have an emergency!!"

He yelled, and no sooner had he finished, reactions could already be heard from downstairs. A loud thump made him wonder whether Junpei had fallen out of bed from shock. Footsteps sounded as the rest of the dorms occupants rushed up to where he stood, and when the door opened, he was faced with bewildered and sleepy expressions.

"What's wrong?!" Mitsuru demanded as the others watched on curiously.

"Shadows." Akihiko replied, "At Port Island Station. I just got back, and knew I sensed something strange while I was there."

"Shadows? But- Are you sure?" Junpei asked in disbelief.

"If he says there are, then there must be." Mitsuru stated firmly. "Yamagishi? I need you to run a reading over the station, we need an idea of what we're going to face."

"Right senpai." Fuuka replied. She pulled the evoker out from her nightgown and aimed it at her head before pulling the trigger. The persona Juno appeared around her.

"And the rest of you, I need you to bring your weapons. We will set up the devices for energy extraction now and make our way out to Port Island Station." Mitsuru continued. The others nodded and headed back out of the room to ready themselves.

The redheaded woman pulled out a bag from the shelf, opening it and removing a couple of similar tools. She picked one up and handed it to the silvered haired man, "Here." She said, with a tone of awkwardness. "Attach it to your gloves." She added, when Akihiko looked confused.

Akihiko took the proffered item and attached it to the worn fighting gloves he wore. He was saved having to response to her by the return of the other members. Both he and Mitsuru proceeded to help the other students install the devices, and soon they were all ready to leave. Mitsuru turned back towards the towering persona, "What have you found?" She asked.

"A large number of shadows have surfaced. I sense others, people. We have to go help them!" Fuuka replied desperately.

"Alright. We head to Iwatodai now, are you all ready?" She asked. The others nodded, some determinedly, others hesitantly.


	6. Port Island Station

Chapter 6 – Port Island Station

"I sense shadows. Not far from here." Fuuka stated as the group got off the train to find themselves in the darkness of Port Island Station. It was the middle of the night, but the opalescent light of the moon above them shone strong enough to make out the scene of closed shops and scattered litter. There was a distant sound of scuffling in the darkness.

"It's not…where I think it is…? Right Fuuka?" One of the members of the group asked; he was the tallest of the squad.

The girl he had spoken to looked around, using the power of her persona to target the location of their enemy, "I'm afraid it is…."

"Aww what! How come we never get a break!" Junpei exclaimed, looking forlorn. The others did not respond to his complaints, knowing him too well to try to reason with him. The redheaded woman in the group stepped forward, "We should get moving before those shadows do any more harm to those people." She said firmly and continued to stride on. The others followed, Junpei taking up the rear.

"Hey Junpei, I thought you would be glad to be fighting shadows again?" His brunette classmate asked.

"Yeah shadows are cool, but you know what else is in that alley!" He exclaimed.

"Stupei! What are you so afraid of them for!? Even if they were there, the shadows will have scared those losers off anyway!" Yukari argued back with both exasperation and annoyance.

"Help!!"

"W-What are those t-things?!"

As they neared the black alleyway, the voices became completely audible. A small group of dishevelled looking teens were backing away, into the wire fence. Their pale faces illuminated in the neon glow of the building's signs. When they spotted the group, they immediately renewed their cries for help, while the visible shadows closed in,

"Do something!! Please!"

"I-I don't wanna die!!"

"You've gotta help us!!"

Mitsuru withdrew her sabre, holding it up before it. The without a word, she plunged forward and there was an echo of steel as her blade struck. The others watched in awe, then immediately raced in after her, weapons raised.

"Let's go man!! We gotta run for it!!" One of the cowering teens yelled as he edged towards the opening in the fence and then raced off into the darkness.

"Hey-y…wait for us!!" The others called, as they too raced off, scattering into the station; their loud footsteps lost in the sound of battle.

The S.E.E.S did not notice, they were far too distracted by the large number of dark beings attempting to attack them. Personas were being summoned constantly, spells of heat, lightning and ice left the air heavy as they group began to take deeper breaths. They were all physically tiring, the shadows seemed endless, and their arms were heavy from numerous swings, stabs and shots.

"Yukari-san! Behind you!!" Fuuka suddenly cried out from behind the fighters. The brunette girl whirled around, but it was too late, a shadow had taken the chance to lunge at her, landing on her back, its black arms gripping her tightly; the bow flew from the girl's fingers.

"Yukari!! Get off her ya stupid shadow!!" Junpei yelled, immediately going to the defence of his friend. He closed in on her, forcing through the other busy members and enemies. Seeing the situation, he knew it was far too risky to use his katana when the monster was in such close proximity of the girl; he reached into his pocket instead and withdrew his evoker, without hesitation, he pointed it up at his head and pulled back the trigger,

"Swift Strike!"

A large figure appeared and made a beeline for the aggressive shadow. Yukari shrieked as the persona collided with both her and her attacker, dislodging the shadow from her back, but knocking them both over in the process. She slid across the hard concrete, scraping the skin on her bare legs, but Yukari didn't notice. She couldn't even see her rescuer in the confusion of shadows. She desperately attempted to retrieve her bow, but she couldn't even locate it in the midst of battle; instead, pulling out her evoker, she summoned her persona to support her. The formidable form of Isis appear, "Garula!!" Yukari commanded, and a great gale of blades struck out at enemies around her. As the slain shadows dissipated, she could make out the forms of her friends not too far away; the battle still intense.

- - - - -

"Damn! Where are they all coming from?!" Akihiko growled heatedly. He stood back to back with Aigis; both lashing out at the nearest monsters and unable to join up with the rest of their team.

"I believe, they are appearing from below." Aigis replied, she aimed her gun and fired a round of bullets towards the advancing shadows. "There are more than would regularly appear. I don't understand why this is."

"Beats me! Let's just get out of this alive and we can ponder later!" Akihiko yelled as he continued to fight. "Shit! There are so many!!"

- - - - -

"This is neverending!" Mitsuru gasped. Her arm shook slightly as she raised up her weapon once again. She continued her onslaught, feeling herself draining of energy as she did. Her next blow left her off balance, and the redhead stumbled to her knees. She look around, realising the danger she was in. Nobody else was in sight, and the numerous shadows were advancing menacingly. "I will not fail here!" She yelled in fierce outrage, though her body was reaching its limit.

Not too far beyond her, Fuuka was summoning her persona, deep in concentration. She could sense the trouble the S.E.E.S were in, and she had to take action.

"Oracle!!" She cried, as a huge ray of light shot from her persona, Juno, to target the members of the team.

Mitsuru felt the surge of light hit her, and her energy began to restore. Quickly throwing herself back to her feet, she pulled out her evoker and called her persona. "Bufula!" She commanded as her persona Artemisia was summoned; a flash of frozen crystal shot out, engulfing the shadows that had come dangerously close to her.

- - - - -

"No…" Fuuka gasped, as she continued to track the state of the team members. They were all weakening, including herself, even with the support she had provided. And from her detection ability, she knew that the number of shadows was far from decreasing. "How could this be…?" The number of shadows here far outweighed the normal amount found normally.

"We-we might have to e-escape!!!" She stammered through her communication device, "There's too many, you could all be killed!!"

"We can't, they've surrounded us!!" Akihiko's voice called back through her receiver.

"Koro-chan's in bad shape! We can't get out of here!" Junpei's voice shouted too.

"If we run…these shadows might end up being set loose into the station!" Mitsuru exclaimed determinedly.

"Ugh…this is…so…hard…" Yukari gasped, her voice barely audible from the speaker.

"No…! We all must retreat now!!" Fuuka cried back, "Please!!"

She looked up from her device to survey the scene, and noticed in horror that two shadows had detected her. They both advanced on her, their arms flailing.

"AHHH!!" Fuuka shrieked. Unsure of what to do and lost in panic, she ducked, her arms shielding her head as the monsters attacked.

But nothing happened; no claws raking into her, no sign at all that the shadows had touched her. Fuuka timidly peeked a look to see what was happening, and stared in shock; a huge bright light had appeared where the shadows had been, and the light was spreading onto all the other shadows in range. The monsters let out shrieks of pain as the light surrounded them, before dissipating into mist. The air cleared to reveal the other members of the team, all looking exhausted and just as confused as she did.

"Wha-What happened?!" Junpei exclaimed, looking around at the shadowless battleground. Koromaru, who stood behind his staggered away towards the entrance to the alley with a bark. The others turned to look and all shouted in surprise,

"Ken!!"

"Amada-san!"

"Ken-kun!!"

The boy looked shocked at their reaction, then muttered more to the floor than the team, "I though…you guys might need help…to save him."

"Whoa Ken! You saved our asses!! We owe ya big time man!!" Junpei thanked with a grin.

"Yes, we are indebt to you with our lives." Mitsuru agreed.

The young boy looked up with an embarrassed smile, "Well, all I did was cast Hamaon…" He replied, scratching the back of his head.

"Ken-kun! I'm so sorry…!!" A girl's voiced called. Yukari rushed over to the young boy, who looked surprised by her behaviour, "I'm sorry, I didn't mean what I said at the dorm…" She cried, looking both guilty and tired.

"That's okay Yukari-chan!" Ken replied, looking slightly bewildered. He then smiled wryly and added, "And maybe you did have a point."

"But I-! I shouldn't have treated like that!" Yukari argued heatedly.

"Hey relax Yuka-tan! He already said its okay!" Junpei reasoned to her, knowing that her exhausted state was leaving her emotional than usual, and not to mention volatile, Junpei mused to himself with a grin.

"Well…I'd like to join you all, if it's not too late?" Ken asked, feeling awkward.

"That is fine." Mitsuru replied, "We are glad to have your assistance."

"Welcome to the team." Akihiko said.

"Woof! Woof!!" Koromaru barked happily, tongue lolling from his mouth.

Ken smiled, "Thanks everybody."

"The area is free of shadows. I believe it is in our best interest to head back to the dorm for rest." Aigis stated, "Is that right Fuuka-chan?"

"What? Oh, yes. I don't sense anymore shadows, it looks like Ken-kun got rid of them all."

"Let's go back and get some sleep then!" Junpei exclaimed, yawning.

"Hey…There are some people over there!" Fuuka exclaimed, pointing in the direction of a dark corner. They all turned in surprise to see a group of bodies lying in the semi-darkness. Aigis walked over to inspect them, "They are only unconscious. They should resume functioning soon." She explained.

"If that is so, we should leave them be." Mitsuru replied.

"What?!" Junpei exclaimed, "But shouldn't we-"

"If there is no harm done, we should leave before they have a chance to realise what happened. With a location such as this, I'm sure their situation could be attributed to…other means." Mitsuru explained. She turned and began to walk off towards the station. The others followed, too exhausted to argue. Junpei took one last glance at the group of bodies on the ground, then shrugged and jogged off after his friends, eager for a good rest.

_I hope you thought this chapter was okay, I find it hard to write action-y kinda bits, cos at these times too many things are usually happening at once lol. Review me if you have any suggestions~_


	7. Gathering Energy

Chapter 7 – Gathering Energy

"I have been doing some thinking about that night at the Port Island Station; more specifically, on why such a large number of shadows manifested at that time." Mitsuru sat at the head of the table at the S.E.E.S dormitory meeting room. The other members, which now included their new dorm mate, Ken Amada, waited for her to continue. A day had passed since their ordeal; they were all recovered and ready for more action.

"I should have realised. That night we encountered shadows was a full moon. As you all already know, shadows become more powerful leading up to this night. But for why such a number appeared, I only have a suggestion."

The mood in the room suddenly tensed. "Yamagishi has assisted me in preparing an explanation. Shadows are a manifestation of human regret and sadness, and therefore if more of these emotions are expressed in a certain location, the amount of energy provided to create these beings will also increase."

"Well yeah, that alleyway has always been messed up." Junpei added and all the attention switched to him, "You know, gangs and drugs and…dodgy stuff, not to mention Shirakawa Boulevard." He continued with a cheesy grin.

"Hmpf, just like you to mention it Stupei." Yukari replied looking annoyed. She couldn't help but remember her past experience there, and reddened with embarrassment. Mitsuru turned towards the teenaged boy who had spoken, "Yes, with the Port Island Station alleyway, we would have expected higher rates than usual. But the problem with that theory is that there were far less shadows appearing until our arrival."

"What are you saying? That we caused those shadows to appear?!" Akihiko demanded seriously. Mitsuru gave him a look of appraisal then nodded slowly, "That seems to have been the case."

"But senpai! Why would we attract shadows?!" Yukari asked in shock, gaping at her senior.

Mitsuru lowered her eyes to the floor, before answering dismally, "Because, that location may have triggered memories within us of regret and despair of our past experiences there…the shadows were able to prey on our emotions for strength…I know that I for one am guilty of this."

The others suddenly understood. They all turned away from one another; remembering their own reactions and thoughts as they walked back into the dark, dingy alley.

"Yeah…I'm sorry guys, a lot of that might have been my fault. I couldn't help thinking about last time…and then I felt bad about not being in there fighting with you all earlier." Ken spoke apologetically.

"It's not your fault Ken, I know I couldn't stop thinking about Shinij when I walked in there." Akihiko reasoned. "I guess we all had regrets going back there, especially at that time of the night. There isn't anybody to blame."

"Well put Akihiko." Mitsuru said, glancing awkwardly in his direction, before continuing, "The truth is I'm sure we all contributed to the outbreak, and along with the full moon, the battle was hard fought. But I do not want any of you taking the blame, things turned out against our favour that night and I want to bring it to our attention now to prevent it from happening again."

"Yeah well the next full moon ain't for another month now, so we should be all good!" Junpei said cheerfully, in an obvious attempt to lighten the mood. "So now that we got that sorted, what else did you wanna discuss senpai?" He continued, with an almost desperate tone of eagerness.

Mitsuru regarded the other occupants of the room, they were still looking forlorn over the information she had shared. Even still, she had to go on with the other matters she needed to bring up. She retrieved her sword from the storage closet in the room along with the large canister object she had shown the group earlier; dropping both items onto the table with a loud "plunk!"

The sound snapped the group members' attention out of their stupor; they all turned to see the equipment on the table.

"I wanted to show you all today how to transfer the energy we gathered from the shadows into the storage device, since this is the entire purpose of our mission." She spoke, attempting to distract the group from returning to their regrets.

Mitsuru picked up her sabre and efficiently removed the device that had been attached to it. She pointed at the small light and metre on it, "This area here is a gauge on how much energy the adaptor had stored. As you can see mine is full, as are yours I'm sure, after our recent battle. So keep track of the capacity, because any shadows you eliminate after the device is full will not be stored."

She extracted a wire from the large storage canister and attached it to the slot in the adaptor in her hand, "Connect it up like this, and make sure the cable is secure."

Then she pointed at the small control pad on the canister, "Here you will need to input the code for your adaptor. Each one has a unique code that you will each have to remember; I've made it easy for you by choosing the last four digits of your student identification numbers."

Koromaru stood up and barked loudly, and Mitsuru smiled at him, "And yours is the last four digits of your registration number." The white dog, satisfied, lay back down onto the carpet.

"Now once you've entered the correct code, the device should extract the energy automatically. Once it is done, the red light should appear here." She said, pointing at a tiny bulb next to the gauge on the adaptor. The light suddenly lit up.

"Good. That means that the energy has been successfully transferred and the wires may be unplugged." She said, taking apart the items just as smoothly as she had put them together. "Any questions?"

"Uhh…how do we know when we have enough?" Junpei asked.

"I had this storage device made specifically for the task we are undertaking. Once it is full, as we can see by the capacity gauge here, we can commence the next step of the operation. Any more questions?"

Nobody else spoke, they all nodded in understanding.

"Then I request that you all bring your devices here to he transferred. This way we will be able to calculate how many more trips will be required."

Everybody stood up and walked off to retrieve their weapons. Koromaru headed into the corner of the room, and after a bit of shuffling, returned with his knife in his mouth. He dropped it onto the redhead's lap and sat down before her, panting happily.

Mitsuru picked up the slightly saliva covered weapon and removed the adaptor device, then wired it up to the canister. And the pair waited for the transfer to complete, the other members of the team returned, each carrying a small similar looking object in their hands.

Half an hour later all the energy transfers had been made. The S.E.E.S all leaned in excitedly to see how much they had obtained.

14.09%

The electronic numbers on the canister read.

"Aww…that's it? Just how many shadows does it take to make a person anyway?!" Junpei groaned.

"I don't know what you're complaining about Junpei, at least we're making progress. And that's only about six more trips to go." Akihiko replied, "Personally, I can't wait to go back there and give those shadows a piece of my fists."

And not to mention I'll be helping now." Ken added, "Since I didn't have an adaptor last time, that total doesn't include any shadows I fought."

"Looking at that…makes me think, we're really doing it! We're really going to save him right?!" Yukari said overjoyed, her face was brimming with happiness. "I'm just, so…happy!" She exclaimed, on the verge of tears.

Aigis came over to her with a smile and replied gladly, "I feel the same way Yukari-chan!"

Yukari let out a sudden cry of emotion and grabbed the android girl, pulling her into a big hug, tears flowing down her cheeks. Everybody else watched the display, hope filling up their hearts as well.

"Well what are we waiting for?! Let's go get those shadows tonight!!" Junpei exclaimed triumphantly, punching the air with a fist.


	8. Reprieve

Chapter 8 – Reprieve

"Wow, can't believe we're finally got enough!!" Yukari exclaimed, her expression ecstatic. The group were poring over the large storage device in the fourth floor meeting room, after having just submitted their shares of shadow energy into the capsule. The dial now read 100%.

"Yeah…but the last two weeks sure weren't easy…" Ken replied looking drained as he remembered their last few battles. "…I think I'll need to take a long break once it's all over…"

Junpei came over to him and patted him somewhat forcefully on the back, causing the younger boy to fall forward, "Cheer up! At least we're all finished! Man, can't wait for the next part!!" He said elatedly.

"Junpei, can't believe you're so happy. I mean, after what happened in the last battle, I didn't think you'd get up for about a week." Akihiko said as he inspected his fists.

"What'dya mean?! It's not that big of a deal…" The accused boy replied. "Aww, come on! Can't we just forget it happened…?" He asked as Yukari and

Fuuka giggled. The other members of the team could not hold back grins of amusement.

"And anyway, you got me back pretty good Akihiko-senpai…man, a blow to the back of the head sure does hurt! I gotta wonder if you were aiming?!" Junpei accused in embarrassment and frustration.

"He did not intend to injure you." Aigis said smiling strongly, "Though I believe it was you who provoked it first."

"Well I…" Junpei begun, as his mind whirled back to midnight a day ago…

- - - - -

The battle against shadows had been fierce as usual, but the knowledge that this would be their last energy gathering trip fuelled the members of the team with enthusiasm; maybe too much enthusiasm for one noted member.

Junpei was slashing away at the dark creatures, separated from the others as he worked tirelessly. Shadows fell on after another as his blade passed through them. "This is way too EASY!!" He thought to himself. He could hear the others battling not too far away, along with the occasional appearance of personas joining their masters in the fray.

"You're all dead man!!" He yelled triumphantly as he slashed away and the shadows began to disperse all around him, "Nobody beats the great Junpei!!"

"Geez, talk about modesty. I think you're getting too overconfident Stupei!" Yukari replied in exasperation as she disappeared once again into the fray.

"Whad'dya mean?!" Junpei yelled out to her as he continued to battle. The number of shadows began to drop, and the other members of the team could begin to be seen between the few monsters that remained.

"Haaaa!!!" Junpei let out a battle cry as he lunged towards a shadow, noticing but not taking in the patch of red he saw just beyond it. He lunged at the monster, ramming into it hard. The shadow let out a loud scream as it fell backwards, being spurred on further by the force of its attacker. Junpei was still forcing himself against it in a rush of exhilaration, even as the monster began to fade; suddenly the momentum stopped as he collided with something large.

"Hey!! What the-!!" A man's voice yelled in confusion, and in the bewilderment, Junpei suddenly felt something slam into the back of his skull; stars flew wildly in his eyes and he slid over onto the ground, dazed.

"Oh my! Akihiko-senpai! You hit Junpei-kun!!" Fuuka's voice shrieked. Everybody turned to look, to find the older silver haired student standing over the limp sprawled out body of the other younger male student. Akihiko shrugged, not looking apologetic as he rubbed his wrists and explained, "The idiot knocked a shadow into me. He wouldn't stop charging, so what was I supposed to do?"

"H-Hey..it…was a-an…acid-dent…!" Junpei wheezed, still thoroughly winded from the blow. He reached up to touch the throbbing spot on his skull to find a large lump had formed. "Aww…man! I'm g-gonna…be sore f-for…weeks!!" He groaned, gingerly touching the painful lump.

"Well, on a good note, all the shadows have been defeated." Akihiko commented, still looking unforgiving.

"Come on senpai! Can't you show some sympathy!?" Junpei complained loudly as he forced himself up into a sitting position.

"…how's your head?" Akihiko replied, sounding as unconcerned as if he had asked about the weather.

Somebody giggled. They all turned in surprise to find the redheaded woman struggling to stifle a burst of laughter. Mitsuru noticed the attention she was receiving from the others and immediately attempted to justify herself, "I uh…just…" She stuttered, feeling slightly foolish.

Suddenly Yukari began to laugh as well, the others wearing odd expressions of confusion, though Mitsuru looked relieved. The pair of females were suddenly joined by the rest of the group, for some explicable reason, the turn of events in what they expected would be their last battle with shadows seemed hilarious.

"H-Hey! I still don't see what's so funny?!" Junpei questioned in an annoyed tone of voice. He was still on the ground, unable to get up from the after effects of dizziness from the blow. "Com'on! I'm in pain here!! Somebody cast dia!!" He yelled, but his complaint was lost amidst the laughter issuing from all the other members of the squad.

- - - - -

"It's still not my fault that he hit me so hard! I can barely sleep at night cos I can't lie down on that side!! So why am I being blamed?!" Junpei exclaimed unfairly as his flashback ended. He looked round in indignation to find everybody still holding traces of smiles on their faces.

"We should…get back to our plans." Yukari said, a grin on her face. Mitsuru nodded to her in approval, then glanced at the storage device that sat in the middle of the room. "Well, as I'm sure you are all aware, we now have collected sufficient energy for this mission. Our next step will be to transport this device to the transfer point."

"How are you intending to do that? I do not think you have informed us of you plan of action yet." Aigis asked inquiringly.

"I…" An odd expression crossed over her face. Mitsuru looked over her companions, worried over her next choice of words. "I believe there is somebody who can help us…"

"Who?" The S.E.E.S asked in unison. The redhead paused, contemplating her thoughts before finally speaking the one word:

"Igor."

_This chapter was a little short sorry, I didn't want to go into more battle details because I feel like I'd just be repeating myself. The big explanation is up next~ Stay tuned~ XD_


	9. Chosen

Chapter 9 – Chosen

"You mean Igor from the Velvet Room?!" Aigis exclaimed in surprise.

"…yes." Mitsuru replied; unable to meet the eyes of the others she stared at the dull carpet beneath her.

"But how? Igor no longer gives me access to the room." Aigis said dejectedly, "We cannot request his help."

"I…have this." Mitsuru said, still not looking up at her companions as she withdrew a key from her pocket and held it up for the others to see; a highly familiar key.

"That's…the Velvet Room key!! How did you get it?!" Aigis questioned, looking in shock at the key she had once carried.

The redhead took a deep breath before answering in a reserved tone, "I was…invited."

The meaning of her words struck all the members, but none more so than the android girl who had once been in her place. She looked worriedly at the older student, knowing the trials that came with such entry, then decided to voice her reservations; "Why didn't you tell us sooner?"

Mitsuru cringed, she knew this question was going to pop up sooner or later, but she didn't feel as if she had any real answer, either that, or she didn't believe her answer was going to be acceptable to the others. Right now, her insides were shaken even though her exterior stayed cool and calm; she had to be honest, there was no other choice.

"I didn't know how you would all react…"

"What do you mean senpai? Did you think we wouldn't care?" Yukari asked seriously. The others expressed a similar reaction. Mitsuru shook her head despondently then forced herself to look up at her friends,

"No…after all we've been through I would have no other choice than to know you would be concerned. The fault does not lie with any of you, but me."

"Then why not?" Akihiko questioned, watching her critically. He should have known it would be something like this, if only he had bothered to find out what had caused her so much strife, after all, he was the only friend she had left from the group after they had moved to their new college.

"After last year, everybody seemed to have put it all behind them. It was over, both Tartarus and the Abyss of Time. Everybody seemed so happy to move on, we had some bad memories so I can't blame you all for wanting to start anew; especially you Aigis." Mitsuru said, directing her eyes to the blond girl as she spoke.

"Me?" Aigis asked astonished. "I have become stronger, especially after realising what it truly means to live. I know that to live is to feel sorrow and loss, sometimes even to the extent that I no longer wish to be alive, but I have also learned that we must continue on the journey that life leads us. I still have regrets over what has happened, but now I know the past should not be changed, only the future." The girl recited, answering in her usual sincere method.

Mitsuru felt slightly dumbfounded. Had she only imagined that the others had become so carefree? That she was the only one held back by the burdens of the past? She didn't know what to think anymore; the last year had been so difficult, with arranging the plans for the Kirijo Group and attending a new college and living in a different environment, and then suddenly bolting out of the blue, the somewhat nightmare-ish visit to the Velvet Room.

"I just don't know…really. It's been difficult for me, having not seen you all for so long, even Akihiko because I've been so busy in the midst of all my adjustments. I guess what I'm trying to say is that…I'm not as capable as you all might think. When I came back here, I wasn't sure if I belonged any longer…and as you all might have noticed, my little spat with Akihiko on the day we moved back here only amplified my concerns. I…was not sure I could…trust…"

"You don't trust us senpai?" Junpei asked, looking incredulous. Yukari shot him an evil look before countering, "Don't you get it Stupei!? I mean nothing really changed for us, we still went to the same school, had the same friends, had the same lives, but Mitsuru-senpai had it tough, everything changed for her! I probably wouldn't trust you if I hadn't had any real contact for a year!"

"Not to mention, senpai, you knew Ikutski-san the longest didn't you?" Fuuka asked gently, "Whatever the shock was for us, it must have been much worse for you…"

"Yes…" Mitsuru agreed, feeling somewhat better, "But now back among you all, I can see that nothing has really changed. Maybe it is time now for me to fill in a few more answers."

"Does that mean that the Igor guy asked you to do all this? So all this stuff about saving Minato-san had to do with that room…?" Ken asked, looking puzzled and also a little deceived.

"Yes, and no." Mitsuru directed the answer to the young boy; she sighed. "The truth is, Igor requested that I follow my destiny; that I must begin to make my own decisions for my future. I admit I did have trouble understanding his intent…when I thought about what I wanted, I could only feel regret over the deaths that have been, especially that of my father and our team members…that is why I instructed the specialised investigation team of the Kirijo Group to research into whether something could be done…and came up with this plan."

"Well if you believe this is what your heart is telling you, I believe you are doing the right thing." Aigis replied, smiling.

Mitsuru nodded, feeling much more confident in herself, "I do, I believe this is what Igor meant by his words, and I would appreciate help from all of you, though I am not entirely sure I deserve it." She finished, looking uncertainly around the room. The other members of the team reacted faster and better than she could have expected; Yukari jumped up immediately an exclaimed, "Of course we'll help you!!"

"We're a team senpai!" Junpei yelled from his seat, Ken, who sat beside him nodded furiously in agreement.

"We're always here for one another, and that's how it'll always be!" Fuuka cried out.

Koromaru yipped loudly, tongue lolling and ears perked as he faced the redheaded student.

Mitsuru beamed at the S.E.E.S, she turned to Akihiko, who sat with his chin propped up by an arm, he had an expression of amusement on his face, "Well, what did you expect?" He commented.

The heavy weight that had burdened her the last few months seemed close to disappearing as Mitsuru stood before her companions; she had been honest to them, and they had accepted her openly; she wasn't even sure now why she had doubted them at all.

"But there's something else too Mitsuru," the silver haired male stated, causing everybody to turn towards him, notably the redhead who had been addressed, "you said the Kirijo Group is still researching shadows? Is that really what you want them to be doing after everything we've been through?" He asked seriously.

"I…" Another honest response would be required, Mitsuru thought, and she would not let her team mates down now, "…it was my father's goal." She restated.

"But weren't you told to make your own decisions? We all know what your father wanted, but what matters now is what you want."

"My father spent his entire life researching Tartarus and the Dark Hour…but if you want to know what I personally want Akihiko…I suppose I think it's time for a change, after all, we no longer have any problems with the shadows, and the Apathy Syndrome has been completely eradicated."

"So…now what?" Junpei asked perplexed, "I mean, I thought the Kirijo's were only here for that stuff. Wasn't that why they built the school and the mall and all the other places?"

"That may have been the case, but now that circumstances have changed, I think I will propose for the Kirijo Group to make a new investment; maybe some remodelling on Port Island Station?" She suggested with a wry smile. "But for now, we should focus on the task at hand. I suggest we rest for the day tomorrow, and at night, prepare ourselves and our equipment to enter the Velvet Room."

"So soon??" Fuuka asked in surprise.

"Yes, there is no point in waiting now that we are prepared. I believe we are all ready, having both trained ourselves and our personas, and also the position of the moon currently means that the shadows should not pose too much of a threat if we were to encounter any."

"Wow, you've really thought this out, haven't you senpai?" Junpei commented.

"Well, no." Mitsuru answered with a laugh, "It all just worked out nicely actually. So are we all in agreement with this proposition?"

"Yeah, I guess so." Junpei replied. The other members also voiced similar responses.

"Very well, we meet here in the lounge at 7 pm tomorrow night."


	10. Last Confession

Chapter 10 – Last Confession

Mitsuru paced around her dormitory room; it was closing into midnight and the others had all retired to their rooms as well. She had confessed her connection to the Velvet Room a few hours earlier to the other members of the S.E.E.S, but there was still one thing she felt she should admit, but she definitely wasn't about to make it public; just the thought of it made her redden in embarrassment.

"Maybe he's asleep already…" She mused to herself out loud. She paced a few more times, unsure of what to do.

"I must do it! I told everybody I trusted them!" She exclaimed in firm resolution, in an attempt to force her reluctant mind. She walked hesitantly over to the door and opened it, revealing a dark corridor. She peered into the darkness across the hall but saw no faint sliver of light from under the doors of her fellow dorm mates.

Mitsuru tiptoed from her room, closing the door as gently as she could behind her. She headed for the stairs, creeping almost like a burglar as she made her way through the darkness. She made it down to the second floor without any mishaps, except for the fact that her heart was thumping wildly in her chest and her mind was racing with thoughts on how to explain herself if she were caught.

She noticed the light appearing from below one of the doors and breathed an audible sigh of relief; _"he's still awake…"_

She made of way past the doors of the other male occupants in the dorm and headed for the small streak of line that signified her goal.

She arrived at the door, her heart still beating unnaturally fast. Mitsuru gingerly tapped against the wood, thinking foolishly to herself that he would never be able to hear it; in fact, it might be more likely for him to notice the sound of her heartbeat pumping adrenaline through her body as she stood there in the shadows of the hallway.

But she was wrong, the door before her flew open, bathing her it the glow of the lamp. The redhead balked as her eyes were hit by the sudden unexpected flash of light, at the same time a figure appeared before her and a man's voice growled, "Junpei! How many times do I have to tell you to knock it off?!"

Mitsuru stared at the man before her, startled by his words. Suddenly the realisation that the person at his door was not whom he had expected hit Akihiko and he felt a wave of embarrassment come over him.

"Oh…it's you." He said weakly, it was all he could manage.

"…would you mind if I had a word with you?" Mitsuru asked, attempting to inject some formality back into the awkward situation, though she wasn't sure which of them was feeling more out of place.

"What? Now?!" Akihiko yelped in surprise. He glanced at the face of the redhead to find her glaring at him in her usual commanding way, "…come on in then." He conceded, opening the door further and stepping back to allow her entry.

Mitsuru stepped into the room; she hadn't been in since last year when they had both still been students of Gekkoukan High School, and noticed the absence of the usual huge displays of trophies that lined the walls and the large training set that he usually practiced on. Instead now the room contained only a few personalised belongings: clothes scattered on the ground, bottles of water on the desk, a half empty duffle bag in the corner and one golden trophy sitting on the shelf.

"I heard you won the freshman competition at college." Mitsuru said, gesturing towards the trophy.

"What?" Akihiko replied unsure of what she was talking about or where she was going. He turned to the golden prize and then said, "Oh yeah, I did. With all the training we got against the Shadows it was too easy."

A silence appeared at the end of his comment, as Mitsuru contemplated her next words; she was feeling at a complete loss of what to say. "How do you think you did with your papers?" She asked.

"I suppose I did okay, no need to ask how you did right Mitsuru?" Akihiko replied with an attempt at a wry smile.

Another paused followed his words.

"So what did you come here for exactly? I know it wasn't to discuss college." The silver haired teen finally blurted out as he peered closely at her. Akihiko had never seen her rattled often, and after her recent confession of her true feelings, he somehow felt much more protective and worried about her; he never really thought of Mitsuru as the type to have a weakness, which he now realised was completely naive of him to have ever believed; she was human, just like him and all the other people he knew.

"Well…" Mitsuru was looking obviously distressed by this point; unsure of whether he ability to stand was about to be compromised at any second, she strode towards the bed and sat down, attempting to cover up the signs of frustration on her face.

"…I wanted to speak to you about an urgent matter." Mitsuru finally said.

"What is it?" Akihiko asked, feeling both curious and bewildered by her current disposition.

"I spoke to you all about Igor's intended plan for me; about how I should follow my own objectives before others…there is something else I believe I must mention…"

"...What is it?" Akihiko asked again, worried. He felt a cold rush of fear, was something bad going to happen to her if they continued? Was there going to be some other result from their mission…? …Would she end up disappearing…or worse? He couldn't help thinking about the blue haired boy who had once been their leader.

"Don't tell me something is going to happen to you?!" Akihiko blurted out in panic, his eyes scanning the redhead's reaction for a confirmation to his fears.

Mitsuru broke out of her stupor and stared at the silver haired teenager in surprise; she had not even hinted at any sign of danger, so just how did he come to such a conclusion? She didn't say anything, and the silence ended up as an affirmation for Akihiko.

"If something bad is going to happen, then I don't want to keep going with this plan. You know Mitsuru, I really…care about you." He strained, unsure if was going to make a fool of himself by admitting to his feelings; he was sure Mitsuru was about to laugh, but instead her tone was both serious and somewhat stunned when she responded, "What…what do you mean by that?"

Akihiko gaped at her in disbelief; _what else could he have meant?! _He glanced away from her curious expression to the edge of a book poking out from under a mass of clothing: "Tips to Triumph: A Guide to Finding That Perfect Girl." How long had he had that book for…? At least a year now since he had brought it after that disastrous trip to Yakushima, and he still couldn't figure out how to do it right. Now he was stuck in a room with the all-powerful Miss Kirijo, and things were definitely not going to go well; he might as well have put up his hands and got that execution over and done with.

"Akihiko?" Mitsuru asked tentatively. She turned to see what he was so focussed on, and in one panicked moment of realisation that she would discover his secret, Akihiko quickly rushed past her and aimed a strong kick at the spine of the book, launching it into the depths of the underside of his bed.

"….is there something wrong...?" Mitsuru asked oddly as she watched him, having no idea why he was behaving in such a way.

"Errr…no…" Akihiko replied. Then he rebuked himself mentally, '_you idiot! That was the most stupid answer ever! You just stood up and ran right past her!' _

"Errr…." His mind whirled back towards the pages of the book as he attempted to find a suitable response, or just one that wouldn't make him look worse than he already did. '_In situations where you may find yourself put in an unpleasant position, humour may be the best way to dissolve tension.'_

"…s-so…I guess it's stupid huh? I mean, me saying I have f-feelings for you…ah-haha…" Akihiko laughed weakly, he could almost feel himself melting into the carpet.

Mitsuru stood up suddenly, "I-" she began.

'_Oh no…here it comes…another execution…'_ Akihiko thought. He closed his eyes, expecting a sudden violent burst.

But nothing came.

"…I don't know what…to say…" Mitsuru continued hesitantly.

"Well yeah, at least I got that off my chest. Man, you must think I'm pretty pathetic huh? Like worse than Junpei and his stupid pick up lines…so…what was so important that you had to tell me?" Akihiko asked in a frantic attempt to divert the subject. He felt something along the lines of morbid horror at his confession and was feeling a profound sense of relief that at least next semester they would not have any classes together.

A long uneasy silence passed. Mitsuru stood her ground, frozen and stunned but his announcement. Akihiko would not longer meet her eyes and didn't seem in the position to want to voice any more comments.

The redhead finally steadied herself, then took a deep breath before speaking in her most casual tone of voice; "What I wanted to speak to you about was Igor's request of me. I spoke to everyone earlier on this matter…but there was one other thing I believe I would like if given the possibility…" Mitsuru paused, then taking a quick breath, she let out the entire sentence in one quick fluid motion, "I would like to get to know you on a more intimate basis beyond the relationship we currently have."

"Huh…what?" Akihiko asked, looking obviously confused. "Intimate….basis…?" He pondered on her words for a few seconds before the meaning finally clicked. "…what? Are you serious?!" The grey haired teen asked stunned.

Mitsuru nodded slowly in his direction, with an odd facial expression of mixed embarrassment and relief, then continued, "When I thought about my decision to undertake this assignment, I couldn't help but think that at the least, even if we were unsuccessful, I would have been in closer proximity with you…"

"Yeah I guess I feel the same. We used to stay in the same dorm before, now we barely see each other." Akihiko agreed, feeling much more open to conversation now. "I can't believe it…" He muttered, "I mean…you never seemed…interested."

Mitsuru felt herself redden as she flushed, "…the Kirijo Group has kept me busy…but I suppose it is I to blame, for always attempting to put the interests of my family before my own…"

"So uhh...does this mean that we're…together now?" Akihiko asked hesitantly.

"I-I guess so…" Was the similarly hesitant reply from the redhead.

"Whoaaa-AHHH!! …oomph!!" Somebody shouted as the door suddenly flew open and the eavesdropper fell spectacularly onto his face.

"Junpei!!"

"Iori!!"

"Uhh….hi!" The teen said as he gingerly got up from his position and rubbed his forehead.

"How much did you hear!?!" Mitsuru growled in rage, towering over him as she approached.

"…well, I heard Akihiko-senpai call my name so I wondered what was up and came over…so, all of it?" He replied honestly.

"Then you are about to be executed!!" She snarled as she lunged for him.

"Make that a double execution!!" Akihiko added angrily as he too made towards the younger man.

Junpei could do nothing but cower before the two fuming senior students but wait for it to be over.

_Lol, well I'm sure you can guess what happens next so I won't detail it here. We all know Aki and Mitsuru have a thing for each other, but between Aki's bad pickup attempts and Mitsuru's non ability to trust others I thought it might be pretty funny to have them admit to their feelings. Next chapter will be the Velvet Room, I hope Junpei doesn't suffer from frostbite and black eyes' then!_


	11. The Velvet Room

Chapter 11 – The Velvet Room

It was night time; the street was devoid of the usual daytime rabble, such as the people walking by and the roar of the car engines are they zoomed past. The lamps buzzed constantly in the quiet as their glow flickered and spluttered; inside the dormitory, it was almost just as silent.

The S.E.E.S all sat huddled around the small coffee table in the lounge. The occupants of the room were tense; the grey haired student repeatedly rubbed his knuckles, while the taller male student in a cap beside him continually glanced from the hands of the clock back to the worn carpet at his feet. A brown haired girl sat on one of the single seats, wringing her hands as she constantly stared at the large container device that sat on the table before her. Another teal coloured hair girl sat with her laptop propped onto her knees; though she was staring at it, she did not seem to be focussing on any task. The blond girl sitting next to her looked up occasionally whenever a sound occurred, then seeing nothing out of the ordinary, turned back towards the white dog that stood at her feet and made communicative gestures towards him; the canine seemed to understand and communicate back. The youngest member of the group, a brown haired boy sat with a mug clasped between his hands; it had long been emptied, though the aroma of the last fragments of black coffee wisped from it, filling the room with its scent.

The click of heels sounded from the hallway, its distinct noise caused the occupants of the room to turn and look. Mitsuru stood before her fellow team-members, unsure of whether to smile or look grave before their expressions. She chose the former, the corners of her mouth rising faintly as she surveyed the scene. "It is 7 pm." She announced as she looked around at the people in the room, "I didn't think you would all be so prepared, but I'm glad, it makes the job much easier."

"So…what exactly are we doing senpai?" Junpei asked, "We got a plan right?"

"Yes. Tonight we will attempt the final phase of our mission: to potentially revive Arisato." Mitsuru replied seriously.

If it had been quiet before, it was nothing compared to what happened after her mention of the name. The group all sat up, still and focussed, their eyes locked onto the redhead as they waited for her to continue.

Mitsuru felt as if she were before the school again; addressing the entire student body and knowing that every word she spoke would be judged and crucial to how she would be viewed. She had never failed before, and she knew she wouldn't now.

"We will enter the Velvet Room and request of Igor to transfer us to the location of the Seal. I do not want any of you to take this lightly, as it may not be our physical bodies that end up in the location, but our consciousnesses, which ultimately means that if we were to fail, we would end up no better than those we once called the Lost."

"Wait, so that means we'll be stuck like that forever?!" Yukari asked, apprehension dawning on her words.

"Hey com'on Yuka-tan! We're not gonna lose!!" Junpei reassured her, a confident grin on his face as he punched the air.

"For once I agree with Junpei." Akihiko added, looking distinctly appalled at his words, "We won't lose. Not if I can help it."

"I understand your concern Yukari, the truth is that the risk is extremely high. But I gather the fact that you all are present here now because you are willing to take this chance. I myself believe in our victory. I believe in you all, and have faith that we will succeed."

"Woof! WOOF!!" Koromaru barked loudly, he stood up with his head held high, tongue panting out from his mouth and ears perked up. The tension in the room eased with the canines' show of enthusiasm.

"Yes I agree with you Koro-chan. If we work together we can do anything!" Aigis said smiling as she reached over and scratched the dog behind his ears.

"As it seems we have all already come to an agreement, it would be useless to spend any more time here. We should prepare to move out towards our next step: Paulownia Mall." Mitsuru finished determinedly. Without another word, she brushed away the loose locks of hair that disturbed her neck and strode off towards the door.

The others watched her go, then all stood up in unison and followed in the same mood of resolution.

They walked through the darkness of the night, away from their now lifeless dormitory. Nobody spoke, though they all wished somebody did. The tension was thick in the midst of the S.E.E.S, and the dead silence that surrounded them only served to amplify it.

They all breathed a sigh of relief as they neared the station; Iwatodai was a racket of students and adults alike, with many of the restaurants brightly lit and both music and speech drifting out from the open windows. The most noticeably busy stores were Wild Duck Burger and the Hagakure Restaurant, while the lobby and benches outside were occupied by loitering teens.

The station was even more hectic; with people clambering back and forth in an attempt to catch their train or find the person they had planned to meet. The S.E.E.S had trouble staying together as they attempted to make their way onto the next trip. Koromaru growled angrily as another person shoved past and stepped onto his tail; his patience was wearing thin from the numerous injuries he had acquired from harried feet. Another person brushed so closely passed the dog that he was forced to move to the side, bumping into and effectively knocking over a tin of rubbish in the process. Koromaru snarled, then let out a huge howl of frustration.

"Koro-chan, it's going to be okay." Fuuka said reasonably as she absentmindedly patted him on the head. She, like the others were busy trying to scan over the crowds in an attempt to retrieve information on the next trip to Port Island Station.

"Hey! Over here!!" Akihiko yelled. The others turned towards the voice, to find a gloved hand waving in the air, with a tuft of silver hairs popping up just below it. Forcing and pushing their way through the crowds, and muttering in resentment about Friday night traffic, the team was able to get onto the train just as the doors closed. They were crammed between the door and many other groups of people as they journeyed, and were receiving awkward looks from the passengers because of weapons they bore. Mitsuru mused to herself with a slight smile; this was not how she expected their mission to begin.

The all breathed huge sighs of relief as they threw themselves off the train at Port Island Station; brushing wearily at their clothes and checking the contents of their pockets. Once they were all in order to go, the gang headed off on the short walk to Paulownia Mall. They passed by the high school as they walked, looking upon the dark gates with a mixture of both fondness and repulsion; it felt odd knowing that none of the S.E.E.S were current students of Gekkoukan High, especially since the S.E.E.S were formed on a basis of being a school club. The absence of the haunting green moonlight and the many parapets and turrets that usually enveloped the school at night was a bit more soothing, though they could not dispel the edge of anxiety on their minds as they passed, especially knowing that their next action was directly connected to it.

They neared the mall; it was still bustling full of students, all laughing and joking as they waited to enter the karaoke bar or the club. They were entirely carefree, unlike the team of students that had just entered. The S.E.E.S made their way through the crowds, not speaking or making eye contact with either their fellow members or the numerous teenagers that filled the mall.

Mitsuru led them towards the stairs that trailed up to the karaoke bar. The others looked at her curiously, all except for the robotic girl, and Junpei actually took a few steps up before Mitsuru turned and headed down the dark neon lit hall hidden in the shadows.

But there's…nothing here." Yukari said as they all paused at the dead end of the hall. The group all looked around at their strange location: a dark narrow corridor lit only by a neon bar, and the solid wall that ended their path. Mitsuru withdrew the key from her pocket slightly hesitantly, then plunged it into what the others could only explain as solid wood. They stared as she turned the half embedded key, then suddenly a door burst open from the wall. The interior of the room could not be seen; light shone blindingly from the space. The others glanced at the redhead curiously; Mitsuru stepped forward, and without reserve, walked into the room, disappearing into the depths of the light. The others followed, and as soon as they were all within the room, the door snapped shut and faded away, once again bearing a solid wall to those who entered the back corridor of Paulownia Mall.

The Velvet Room was as it had always been. The mysterious walls of the room flashing randomly almost as if a thunderstorm was taking place outside. The carpet was dark purple, along with many of the other furnishings. A large overhanging clocked ticked loudly in the silence from its position on the far wall. A lone chair sat before a covered round table, and on the other side, a mauve couch.

"You have returned…and with guests also." An eerie voice spoke from the centre of the room. The S.E.E.S all turned to see the long nosed inhabitant of the Velvet Room, Igor, sitting upon the sofa and watching them all with knowing eyes. "Please take a seat."

Mitsuru glanced at the single chair that she usually resided in, then stepped over and sat down slowly, the rest of the S.E.E.S followed, standing behind her as she took the proffered seat.

"I…I have a request that I must ask of you." Mitsuru said hesitantly, forcing herself to look up at the eccentric man before her.

"If it concerns the deeds of our contract, you may." Igor replied in his usual peculiar tone of voice; a mysterious smile played out on his face.

"We wish to assist somebody, by the name of Minato Arisato. I believe you have had contact with him before?" Mitsuru asked.

"Yes. He was a previous visitor to this room, as was the young lady by your side now." The hunchbacked man replied as he nodded in acknowledgement to Aigis then turned back to his quarry, "He fulfilled a destiny that changed the very future of this planet, something I believe, you are destined for as well."

The redhead stared at him, his words did not seem to bode well to her ears, but nonetheless, Mitsuru continued: "I believe we have a means to restore Arisato…back to his own existence in our world. But in order to make this attempt, we need to make a journey to where the Seal was created. I ask for your assistance in escorting us to that location."

"Why is it that you believe I have such power?" Igor asked with a hint of surprise.

"I-I…"Mitsuru tried to reply. She felt confused, she was sure he was the answer, but now was she going to have to hear that he didn't? That after all their planning, this small block would mean the end?

"Are you saying…you don't have the ability to send us there…?" She finally uttered, feeling defeated.

"Unfortunately I do not." Igor replied with a tone of indifference. The rest of the team immediately tensed up at these words.

"You must be able to do something!" Akihiko growled from his position directly behind Mitsuru, the hand he had rested on the back of the chair clenched. The hunchbacked turned his eyes to the silver haired students', almost as a challenge, and repeated, "I do not have that ability. What you have requested of me is an impossible feat, though I wish to offer my assistance to my current client."

"…then you are telling me that this choice I have made to save a former member is impossible?" Mitsuru asked, both forlorn and hopeful.

"No, not impossible. Though I do not possess the power as such to send you to your required location, somebody else may be able to assist you with your 'connection'…"

"What?" Mitsuru replied, looking utterly confused. The rest of the team expressed similar feelings.

"I think he means…me." Somebody answered quietly. Mitsuru whirled around in her seat to find that the shy female member of their team had spoken.

"Fuuka?! You can do it??" Yukari asked looking immensely shocked, "Why didn't you-"

"I didn't know…but now I understand. I need to connect our consciousnesses in order to send us to the right location…"

"Yes, you ask quick to understand." Igor spoke, a cunning expression on his face, "But do you understand the risk in making such a journey?"

"….Yes." Fuuka replied, obviously frightened at the concept. "If we end up losing, we won't be able to return to our bodies…our, souls might be lost up there forever…"

A cold silence followed her words. Everybody contemplated the possibility of facing their demise up in the darkness; lost between two forces of terror.

"I'm still going!" Yukari exclaimed suddenly, causing them all to turn towards her. "I knew the risk when we started, and I'm going to try. Even if I might end up dying, I know that he would have done the same for us!"

"Yeah…guess we owe ya dude." Junpei agreed.

"Then what are we waiting for? Shouldn't we get going?" Ken asked. The S.E.E.S all looked at the youngest member of their squad in surprise.

"What…?" He asked.

"Well, you know. You weren't exactly into it at the start." Junpei said.

"I realised something." Ken replied. The others were watching, obviously waiting for him to elaborate. "He was a real friend, like the rest of you, and we looked after each other…I don't want any more good people to die if they don't have to…" Ken expressed, feeling embarrassed and turning to stare down at the magenta carpet. Akihiko gave the boy a thoughtful look before turning back to the redheaded leader.

"Since we all agree to do this, we should get started."

Mitsuru nodded. "Yamagishi, do you think you can transport us there?"

"Yes…but I will need all of you to focus on our destination; we need to think of Minato-kun and the location he is in now. I can do the rest."

Igor and his strange feminine assistant looked on as Mitsuru stood from her seat and joined the rest of the team in forming a circle around the teal haired girl. They all closed their eyes, focussing as the form of the persona Juno appeared. Light emanated from the figure, her hair swaying with the waves of brightness as they flowed from her. It spread until it engulfed the group, then with a flash, the light dissipated and Igor and Elizabeth found themselves gazing at the sprawled out, unconscious bodies of the S.E.E.S.

The attempt had begun.


	12. Transference

Chapter 12 - Transference

"Whoa…we're back." Junpei said in awe. The group were standing in space once again; a dark blackness, sounded by countless numbers of glowing lights. The air around them felt empty; devoid of life; and the glimmer of distant stars seemed unreachable, as if they taunted with their hope, knowing that no one could ever obtain them. The S.E.E.S felt a strange and familiar coldness fall over them.

"Over there." Fuuka spoke, pointing in a direction in the distant voided space; her voice echoed away into the expanse of shadow. The others turned and without a word, hurried off; they would need to conserve any energy they had, for who knew how long it would take to get there, or what they might end up encountering. They traversed across the dark sky, unable to tell how far they had travelled without any external cues. Fuuka kept her persona active as she walked; it was like being encased in a huge bubble, but she felt safer for it. It would be up to her and Juno to find the location of the Seal.

Time passed unevenly as they continued to journey; tension and nerves keeping them all fully alert to any signs of movement or noise apart from their own. The sound of breathing became stronger, as many of the group members began to tire.

Something suddenly fell into their line of sight, it looked almost like another star, but much closer. They all picked up their paces and hurried towards it, footsteps echoing as they raced.

The Seal was just as they remembered. A large golden form, on it glowed a remnant image of their old companion. Yukari stared at it, lost for words,

"Minato…" She whispered, feeling herself next to tears.

The others came up next to her, in no less awe and shock over seeing the monument once again. It was still in perfect condition, remaining almost untouched in its lifeless surroundings.

"Hey, look!!" Junpei exclaimed, as he reached out a hand and passed it through the barrier; it sunk right through, as if the golden structure did not exist. "Why can I get through it?"

"The barrier restricts only the shadows from passing through to summon Nyx. All other life is free to traverse beyond it." Aigis analysed.

"Isn't that good then?! Like, if Erebus ever found out we were here, we could just walk right through and wait on the other side! It won't be able to touch us!!" Junpei exclaimed, ecstatic at his discovery.

"But…what awaits on the other side may be worse…" Mitsuru replied seriously.

"And, what happens if both Nyx and Erebus finds us…? We'd be trapped on both sides…" Ken said solemnly. A heavy silence fell over the group; everybody was pondering the worst and nobody wanted to say anything.

"No…It seems like…they've already sensed our presence!" Fuuka gasped, whirling around in an attempt to pinpoint a location. Everyone turned to her, shock and surprise written on their faces. Taking charge, Mitsuru ordered, "Quick! Aigis. Prepare to hold the Seal in position, once you are ready, inform us! We need to get this done before they arrive!"

Aigis nodded. She focussed on the strange power within her that she had received from her spiritual sister, Metis. She sensed the exact same power radiating from the shell of the golden barrier, and without hesitation, threw herself into holding the form of the Seal stable.

"Operation successful. Commence transfer sequence." She stated. Mitsuru gave determined nod to the other members of the group. "Now we have to make the transfer! Yamagishi you'll have to get it connected as soon as possible!"

The group heaved the heavy canister as close as they could to the barrier. Fuuka knelt down and grabbed the many cables attached to it. With her persona's ability to connect, she was able to draw an attachment between the Seal's spirit and the storehouse of energy before her. But from the corner of her mind, she sensed dark presences looming, closing in…

"Shadows!!" The voice of the silver haired boxer announced, "Com'on! Let's get em!!" He yelled as he rushed off over to the approaching creatures. The others joined him, readying their weapons for battle before hurtling off, leaving only Fuuka and Mitsuru to work on the transference. The sound of battle echoed in the endless space, making them all too aware of their dangerous position.

"Yamagishi, how much longer?" The redhead asked, as they both concentrated on their persona's ability to connect.

"Umm…maybe, about fifteen minutes? It all depends on how well the Seal adapts." Fuuka replied as she willed herself to work harder, "I'm afraid if were stay too long, they will find us." The two females concentrated on their task; the respective forms of Juno and Artemisia floated nearby with similar expressions of intense resolution.

"Stupid shadows! Tryin' to mess up our operation man!!" Junpei exclaimed, an ecstatic expression on his face. The fighters had returned, looking worse for wear but still in good condition. Junpei obviously worked into a thrilled state as he punched the air and called out, "But we got them in the end!!"

"No…they're coming closer…" Fuuka whispered, her voice tired. It was far more effort than she expected to make this switch and still hold up a radar on the surrounding area, and she was starting to feel afraid. What if they couldn't complete the transfer, or they were attacked by either Nyx or Erebus? What if in its semi-transferred state, the Seal could be destroyed? Her mind was starting to fill up with possibilities, and none were too appealing.

"Hey do you guys sense that?" Akihiko suddenly asked, "It feels like…Nyx…"

"Yeah…" Ken replied, a note of fear in his voice, "Erebus too…"

"Woof!! WOOF!!" Koromaru barked aggressively, hackles raised, his angry snarls left the rest of the members shaken too. The group closed in together, back to back against the Seal, almost as if protecting their friend from any further harm…

- - - - -

Aigis could barely see around her; it was dark, cold, and empty. She could sense the presence of her friends not too far away, busily working on the Seal.

"Shit!! Hurry! We have to get it switched now!!" Akihiko's voice yelled in the timeless void.

"No!! They're coming closer!" Shrieked another voice, whom Aigis recognised as Fuuka.

"Yamagishi, continue with the transfer, and Aigis…hold on! The rest of you, quickly, we will have to battle!!" Mitsuru's voice commanded.

"No way! They're both coming at us!! This really can't be good!!" Junpei yelled. Aigis could hear the sound of metal scraping and footsteps, the battle between the S.E.E.S, Nyx and Erebus had begun. She tried to force herself to concentrate on the task, but the yells and screams of those familiar to her could not be blocked out. The sound of evokers rang in her ears as many large forms appeared, but their attacks were cut short as their owners began to fall. She herself could sense the impending spirits of darkness, the feeling of helplessness…

"No!!! I won't-!! I came here, to save you Minato!!" Yukari's voice cut through the darkness.

"I c-can-t…" Aigis heard another voice gasp.

"Hold on!! We have to-!!" A man's voice urged.

The darkness was everywhere, it was impossible to even discern the form of her friends in the suffocating blackness. Aigis felt as if her head was about to explode, but she forced herself to think only about the Seal; she had to keep the spell steady, at all cost…but everything was starting to fade.

- - - - -

The bow flew out of hands as Yukari slammed into the ground. She cried out in pain as a wave of fire crashed over her, the heat burning at her skin as she was surrounded by the inferno.

"Yukari!! Stop hurting her!!" Junpei yelled in fury as he made a mad dash at the huge monstrous form before them; his katana slashing wildly in an attempt to break the spell that it was casting on his friend. He was only partially successful, though the fire stopped, Nyx flung out with a powerful swing, striking him full in the gut and sending him crashing into Mitsuru as she was making her way to aid Yukari.

"Iori!" Mitsuru growled as she untangled herself from the pile they had both fallen into; she glared at him, wondering why he wasn't even bothering to try to get up since he had ended up more or less on top of her. Then she noticed the darkening stain of red on his shirt and quickly knelt down to examine it; "Iori!! Are you alright?!" She asked, her eyes flying to his face in desperation for a response.

"Ughhh…why does it hurt so bad…?" He asked, dazed. His hands came up to inspect the wound and when it came in contact with his soaked shirt, Junpei bolted up suddenly with a shocked yell of: "Holy crap!! Am I bleeding!?!"

"Calm down Iori!" Mitsuru replied, though she herself was feeling far from calm herself. She pulled out her evoker and summoned Artemisia to heal. Though the bleeding slowed to a trickle, Mitsuru had no doubt that at the least there would be a large dark bruise all over his abdomen, and possibly even damage to his organs.

"If you do not feel well enough to continue then take a rest." She said, pushing him down.

"No way!" Junpei replied determinedly as he attempted to go against her and force himself into an upright position. "There's no way in Hell I'm letting Nyx win!!"

- - - - -

"The others are falling too…we can't keep this up!" Fuuka cried. She knelt on the ground by the Seal, still attempting to make the transference. She could see Erebus not too far away, and a group of her friends attempting to hold it back.

"Come on!! We have to beat it!" Akihiko yelled, fists raised as he closed in, looking for a moment to strike.

"Yahhh!" Ken cried as he lunged at the dark creature with his spear. The point flashed before piercing through into the monsters' side; Erebus let out a loud scream before flailing out wildly. Ken immediately attempted to remove his weapon from the creature, knowing the dangerous situation he was now in even with the distance the spear provided. But the blade would not come free, and he looked up just in time to see a dark limb coming towards him. He was lifted off his feet from the force of it; the blow paralysed him and Ken felt his hands leave his weapon as he was thrown back; his vision red.

"Ken!!" Akihiko yelled, "Look out!!"

Ken opened his eyes to a distorted view, but it was unmistakable as to why the older student sounded in such a panic: the dark limb was still flailing, and it's target: him. Ken could barely move, and as the arm came swinging down towards him, all he could do was close his eyes and hope.

He felt himself sliding as somebody gripped onto his clothing, then a resolute crash that sounded amazingly close; but he felt nothing. Opening his eyes, he looked up to find Koromaru panting over him, and the limb of the great creature lodged into the area where he must have been a second ago. The white dog let out a howl of rage before leaping at the limb and tearing at it furiously with his teeth. He was joined by another figure, who rushed in, landing punch after punch against the monster. Erebus let out a cry of pain and anger, its red lamp-like eyes enraged. It reared up, its two heads roaring in unison, then both its limbs smashed down into the surface, causing a wave of energy to rush past. Ken was thrown back a little further from his position, but both Koromaru and Akihiko, being closer and taking the full force of the attack, were thrown much further. Ken watched as his team mates flew through the air like rag dolls, hitting the surface far beyond him with loud thuds before becoming still.

- - - - -

She couldn't even feel her arms and legs any longer as she focussed, the voices were starting to become quiet, except for the minor cries that seemed to be from miles away.

Nyx and Erebus…they were both bearing down on her…

Aigis could hear the slow rasping breaths of the monsters; the frigid air tore at her body.

'_The Seal…I have to…I will protect….you…"_

Her mind felt exhausted, her thoughts coming in a haze. She felt as if she had fallen into a pit of darkness, forever trapped. On one side: the dark form of death, and her other: the darkest of man's heart. They were both pressing in on her, she had nowhere to go. Her eyelids flickered, all she could think about was the duty she had been entrusted with. Aigis could do nothing now, but hold onto the last thought on her mind…

"_I will remain by your side…forever."_

She felt the impending doom of death at the edge of her mind. The voices of her companions were dying out, a faint crying howl, desperate screams….Suddenly, a voice shouted out, but Aigis was no longer able to comprehend the words that were spoken.

A piercing bright light filled her vision, and the darkness in her mind receded a little. But it was too late, she could feel her hold on reality disappear. Almost as if sinking, the last thing Aigis was consciously aware of was her release of the Seal. Something had changed in it; it felt cold; broken.

Then all went dark.

_Now to leave it in suspense… XD _

_~Happy New Year~ 2009~ everybody! ~_


	13. A Will To Survive

Chapter 13 – Will to Survive

Mitsuru surveyed the scene from her position. She lay face down on the dense surface of darkness; stars echoed in the distance and the cries of two huge ferocious monsters screamed into the night. She struggled to get back onto her feet, feeling her body drained of all energy and vitality. She noticed her friend and team member ahead of her; the girl had her evoker raised and was determinedly summoning her persona in order to keep her safe. Mitsuru was not sure how much longer she would hold; Yukari was showing the usual signs of exhaustion that the redhead had noted since they had first joined ranks, not to mention the pink coat that was the favourite of the girls' was practically tattered to shreds now. Mitsuru looked away from the sight to her other party member, Junpei. He was still laying on his back, clutching at a bleeding wound on his abdomen and breathing in quick ragged breaths.

The redheaded woman knew she had to do something; spurred on by mixed feelings of guilt and determination, she pushed herself onto her feet, raised her sabre with one hand and gripped her evoker tightly in her other.

As the creature loomed over the trio once again, letting loose another wave of flame, Mitsuru immediately raised the evoker to her temple and pulled back the trigger. Artemisea appeared before her, unleashing a flare of ice that collided with the flames in midair. Sparks flew as Yukari scrambled to get away, only just pulling herself out of range as the pressure from the two opposing elements resulted in an explosion of burning crystal shards.

The persona disappeared as Mitsuru stashed her gun-like evoker into her belt then charged at the embodiment of death before her. Weapon raised, she slashed at the abdomen of Nyx, with complete abandonment of caution as she cried out in fury with her attack, her heart racing as she pounded away.

Arrows flew past, narrowly missing the redhead and lodging into vital points into the creature; Yukari stood not too far beyond her, shooting with the few scattered arrows she had been able to retrieve. Her hands shook as she loaded her bow and she stood unsteadily, swaying with exhaustion. She could only focus on one thing; to continue her onslaught. Yukari wasn't even sure which of the stars that appeared in her vision were real and which were brought on by her own daze. She could not feel the burns she had sustained, her senses were lost all except for the sight of the creature before her and her partner's red hair flailing as she fought.

Load; aim; fire.

Over and over this message played in her mind, until finally her supply of ammo was lost. She looked down, scanning the vicinity for more of her scattered arrows and losing track of the battle before her as she search in desperation.

"Yukari!!!"

The scream pierced through her stupor, and the young girl snapped back to the battle just in time to see the red haired woman racing towards her with a look of horror on her face. A split second later, her view was filled with light and she was hit by a wave thunder. Her persona Isis cried out in agony from within her as it was struck by it's elemental weakness and Yukari felt her strength drain away. She fell to the ground, her ears filled with the cries of both her team mates and her persona as she blacked out.

Mitsuru caught up to her just after she fell. Pulling her over to lie on her back, Mitsuru took in her vital signs and felt relief in knowing that both her heartbeat and breathing rate were within normal range.

"Is she alright?! Yukari!!" Junpei exclaimed anxiously as he pulled himself over to their location; worry etched all over his face.

"Yes…look after her Iori. I'll handle to rest of this."

The younger teen looked about to argue, but noting the serious expression on the redhead's face, he backed down. "Okay, but be careful alright senpai?"

"Mitsuru nodded. Picking up both her evoker and her sword once again, she rushed off to defeat the avatar of death.

Nyx had moved away and was now attempting to destroy the Seal, having decided that the humans that had confronted it were no longer a threat. Thundering noises issued from the attacks, though the Seal stood still. Mitsuru raced over, unnoticed by the creature as she attempted to pass through the barrier.

"Yamagishi? We are-"

"Don't! Don't come through!! Erebus is here! The others-" A bang resounded from the other side of the barrier and Fuuka's shrill voice stopped abruptly.

"Yamagishi? Yamagishi?! Can you hear me?!" Mitsuru yelled back in panic. The lack of response cause the redhead's stomach to drop; she wasn't sure if it all could get any worse. But then maybe…Mitsuru whirled around to locate somebody, her sight locking onto the view of the android girl in the distance. Even from so far away, it was obviously that Aigis was not holding up; she had slid into the exhaustion position and even as Mitsuru made her way desperately towards the girl, she saw her sway, then the metallic body gave a violent spasm and became rigid, before falling to the ground. At the same time, the Seal gave an ominous creak as it started to break apart…

"NOOO!!!" Mitsuru yelled, unable to stop the crashing wave of panic that fell over her. Almost like a reflex, she twisted around, withdrawing the evoker from her belt and firing; Artemisea immediately appeared, perhaps knowing the urgency of the command, in a quick motion lashed out at the Seal with her power, maintaining the framework that had only very recently dissipated.

The change in the balance of power caught the attention of both creatures. Both relenting their assault on the main portion of the Seal, they turned their attention towards the entirely vulnerable redheaded woman.

Mitsuru did not notice, she was far too busy attempting to finish the job they had come for. Eyes closed, mind focussed, she ordered Artemisea to hold the Seal in place while at the same time, evoking her weaker ability to connect in order complete the transference.

'_It's nearly done…just a little longer…' _She spoke to herself. _'I will do this; this is my decision…and I will stand by it and accept the consequences…'_

The booming pounding from beyond the golden barrier could be no other than Erebus; the beast was obviously enraged at its inability to reach its target. But the noise made it clear the danger Mitsuru had placed herself in; with Nyx also approaching and her persona engaged in another task, not to mention her fatigued state, if she were attacked, the result would not be pretty.

Mitsuru forced herself not to think of it; all she could do was concentrate on now, whatever came from here on was beyond her control. She did not open her eyes; did not want to see what was coming, though her ears could not deceive her as Nyx came closer, its cold rasping breath ever louder…

'_Focus…'_

She did not see the strike; as Nyx bore down upon her and raised one steel edged limb up to the heavens, Mitsuru continued single-mindedly at her task. Eyes oblivious to the scene, her vision did not show her the dangerously descending arm as it slashed down in her direction…

A great spasm of pain hit Mitsuru and she cried out in agony; but he scream was lost in the turbulence of noise wrought by the monsters. The blow sent her body through the air, and for a second Mitsuru felt weightless; almost as if she were flying, before crashing heavily onto the surface on the other side of the golden barrier.

Gasping for breath, Mitsuru forced her torso up by pushing her hands against the ground. She only barely raised her upper half from the surface when her arms began to tremble under the weight. Her legs felt like lead; heavy and immobile. Looking around, she noticed that Nyx was no longer in sight, but instead the Seal was before her. A monstrous snarl made her realise that she had been knocked into the vicinity of the other creature, Erebus.

She turned to see the monster racing towards her; one arm reaching wildly for the scabbard at her waist though she knew it was empty; her weapon lost after having been thrown, and the other arm attempting uselessly to push her out of harms way.

Erebus was closing in on her, and now all that was visible was the glowing red lamp-like eyes of the beast and the furious heat that emanated from it. Something signalled from within her; Artemisea was done; Arisato had been freed. But now it was far too late for her.

Mitsuru met the livid eyes of the fast approaching creature with her own indomitable glare.

'_I will accept the fate of my actions.'_

Erebus charged; it's large dark claws raking into the surface as it lowered it's horned heads towards her. Mitsuru forced herself not to turn away, her body screamed in defiance as the creature struck…

Light burst into her vision. For a wild second, Mitsuru believed she was dead. Bathed in shining luminance, she looked up to see a figure carrying a great harp throw itself forward into the space before her.

A huge beast-like cry made her realise that she still lay on the surface where she had been and Erebus was in front of her. The dazing light faded a little and she realised who she had seen;

'_Orpheus…'_

"Quick! You have to leave, and take everybody with you!" An extremely familiar male voice shouted from the other side of the Seal's barrier. "If you don't do it now, you'll all die!"

Without losing a second, Mitsuru whipped out her evoker and fired.

'_The Velvet Room…take us back there!'_

The reaction was instantaneous. She felt herself disappearing from the dark sky and looked up just in time to notice the Persona, Orpheus hovering defensively over her and Erebus snarling as it lunged again…

--------

'_Ugh…where…where am I…? What happened…? Am I…still alive…?'_

She opened her eyes slowly; her vision was blurry and she could not make out the scene before her.

"Welcome back." The voice of Igor greeted her.

"I…" Mitsuru shook her head gently, her body felt like it had been dropped from a five storey building. She still wasn't entirely sure what had just happened.

"You have succeeded in returning to this Velvet Room." Igor spoke again.

"I…what-?!" Mitsuru swung around on the chair and nearly tipped off. Her eyes darted in panic to the unconscious bodies that lay on the mauve carpet behind her seat.

"They will be fine." The hunchback spoke yet again, answering the question to her worst fear. Mitsuru continued to watch the group, looking intently for signs of breathing or movement. When she was finally able to convince herself that the rest of the team were still with her, she turned back to the man across the table.

"You have done well…" Igor complimented, a mysterious grin on his face. "To have succeeded in both returning with all your friends and the one you wished to liberate."

"What? Arisato?! He is back?!" Mitsuru whirled around once again, looking for the body of her former dormmate.

"He will be returned to his state in the real world. As will you all once you decide to leave here."

"But-I saw…" Mitsuru began as her mind fast forwarded through all the recent events she had undergone, "I saw his persona…"

"Yes, it seems he assisted you in the salvation of your team; A marvellous sign of teamwork and belief in the will of others. For it would not have been possible otherwise for the young man to summon his persona without means of an evoker. But for the most part, your own conviction has led you to this end."

"End?" Mitsuru asked.

"Yes, to the end of your contract. As we agreed months prior to this meeting: you were to trust in your own judgement and accept all that may come with such as your sole responsibility." Igor raised a long fingered hand and a sheath of paper appeared and landed gently onto the clothed table. Mitsuru recognised her own name signed carefully upon the contract.

"You have now fulfilled your destiny in finding your answer to life. I hope it may prove useful to you in the time to come. But for now, it seems your time here is ended. It was a pleasure to have assisted you." Igor finished.

Mitsuru stood up awkwardly, glancing back at her unconscious friends before turning to look at the hunchback and his assistant. She bowed formally to them both, before murmuring, "Thank you for everything."

"I am glad we have been able to help." The enigmatic assistant, Elizabeth replied with a mysterious smile. "You friends will be returned to the outside world once you leave this room."

Mitsuru nodded slowly. "Farewell." She spoke. Turning away from the odd residents of the room, she headed off towards the door; spirit and determination etched in her movement.

She reached for the handle and pulled open the wooden door fully: a blast of bright light hit her and she was suddenly enveloped by radiating warmth. Trusting herself; Mitsuru closed her eyes and allowed herself to be drawn into peaceful slumber…

_That's the end of this chapter; don't worry, she didn't die! XD Next chapter is "Awakening." I hope to finish this fic soon, but I'm having so much trouble writing a suitable ending._


	14. Awakening

Chapter 13 – Awakening

He opened his eyes to the regular filtering light from through his curtains. _'Morning…' _He thought to himself, as he pushed back the sheets and sat up. His eyes surveyed the room, he started in surprise, staring in disbelief at the scene: all the occupants of the dorm were seated around his bed.

'_Why…? Is something wrong…?' _He wondered. He reached up and rubbed the grit from his eyes, unsure of whether he was seeing things. His movement must have disturbed somebody, because one of the sleeping occupants by his side began to stir.

"I sense a change in neural wave patterns…" The robotic voice said. Aigis suddenly burst up and turned to stare at him.

"You are awake!?" She exclaimed in such loud surprise that the other occupants were startled into consciousness. Junpei let out a loud snort as he shot awake, causing the teal haired Fuuka to stare at him in alarm.

"You're-you're okay!" Yukari exclaimed as she bolted up from her seat, a teary look of relief on her face. "I was so afraid…" She said as she approached his bedside. Minato smiled faintly up at her and in one quick decisive movement, Yukari slapped him.

The room fell silent in awe. "You made me worry so bad!!" Yukari cried loudly, furious tears streaming from her eyes, "I-I was afraid you weren't going to wake up!!"

The occupants in the room stared at the girl still shocked in silence by her action. Junpei recovered first and jokingly quipped: "Hey man, welcome back to the world of the living!"

"Uh…huh." The blue haired boy replied as she reached up to feel his red inflamed cheek. He looked around the room at the relieved faces, then asked, "…Why are you all here…?"

"I apologise." Mitsuru spoke contritely, "But after we found you unconscious on the rooftop of the school, we feared for the worst. We were unable to rouse you, so we brought you back to the dorm. And then it seems…we decided we would not leave you on your own."

"Sorry…I was tired…" Minato replied, still groggy from his recent awakening.

"Tired!?!" Yukari snarled fiercely. When the blue haired teen did not reply, but stared at her with an expression of mixed fear and confusion, she realised there could be no arguing with him and instead turned and stomped off out of the room, slamming the door loudly as she left.

"Talk about touchy!!" Junpei commented, still looking bewildered at the spot the girl had occupied. "I mean, you weren't even asleep that long, and after what happened with you finishing off Nyx, I would have at least given you a week!"

"Well she was the most worried from all of us…" Fuuka responded reasonably. "…apart from maybe Aigis." She added, glancing at the blond girl whom had still not left his side.

The robotic girl looked down sadly, "I promised to protect you…but moments later, I could do nothing to aid you…I failed my mission…" She said softly.

"Hey it's not your fault Aigis. Even the doctors from the hospital didn't know what was wrong." Akihiko reasoned.

"Yeah, you're being too hard on yourself!" Junpei added, grinning in an attempt to cheer the girl up.

"But I…" Aigis began, unable to express the overwhelming guilt she had felt. A hand brushed her cheek. She whirled around to find the blue haired teen wiping away a stray tear that crawled down her face. "I'm sorry for making you worry." Minato spoke, he turned to the rest of the room at large and added with a wry expression, "But it's only been a day right? The first time we fought shadows, I was out for a week and you didn't seem very worried."

"Well, that was expected with your first time summoning a persona. The effort takes a large amount of energy." Mitsuru replied reasonably, "But I suppose you did have a few lapses during the year that we were aware of, we shouldn't have been so concerned about this one."

"Hahaha! Yeah, guess you just like to hibernate from time to time, right bro?!" Junpei replied laughingly. The mood in the room lightened.

"We should go out to celebrate the occasion." Ken commented, "After all, both school and the Dark Hour are over."

"Yes, you are correct Amada." Mitsuru said. "If you are fit to journey Arisato, we will take our morning meal at the Ruusei restaurant. I owe much to you all for assisting the Kirijo Group, and I hope this meal at least goes as a small token to show my appreciation of what you all have done."

"Whoa! Ruusei?!" Junpei exclaimed in delight. The others looked confused, Fuuka asked, "What is the Ruusei restaurant? I've never heard of it."

"Oh man, it's the most expensive restaurant on Port Island! I've always wanted to try it! I heard they even put gold powder on your ice cream!!" Junpei replied ecstatically.

"Gold powder on ice cream?" Aigis asked, her curiosity bringing her out of her disheartened state. "Why would humans wish to consume something so valuable when it has such little nutritious content…?"

"Just to prove they can!" Was the response from the teenager. "Are we going now?!"

Mitsuru smiled at the obvious excitement radiating from the group; "We will proceed eventually…once we have all cleaned up." She added wryly, glancing around at the dishevelled group, some still in student uniform, others in loose faded bedtime clothing obviously not intended for public display.

Junpei let out a whoop and ran for the door, disappearing only to be heard rushing into his own room next door.

"I will let Yukari-chan know." Fuuka said as she stood up and headed out. The other members followed; Aigis being to last to leave as she turned back at the door to take one last comforting look at the now conscious teenager. She closed the door gently as she exited.

- - - - -

"Whoo!!" Junpei exclaimed as the group made their way down the streets of the Port Island station. It was nearing noon, and the location was filled with students rushing onto trains or meeting up now that school had ended.

"I think you're overdoing it…Stupei." Yukari muttered. She walked at the back of the group, looking distinctly distracted as she glanced occasionally at the blue haired teen at the centre of their crowd.

Nobody else seemed to notice; a feeling of excitement had filled the group now that they had accomplished the ending of the Fall, school had finally finished and Minato was once again alive and well, not to mention they were attending a restaurant where it was unheard of for students to be present at.

They kept walking; turning down into an industrial street. The street was lined with large company buildings, and there was little noise apart from the odd car or a businessman rushing across the road to deliver a folder or cheque. At the centre of the street lay their goal; a large fancy restaurant wafting out numerous delectable scents.

"It smells good…" Fuuka commented as they continued.

"Yeah, I wonder if it's as good as people say." Akihiko replied.

"The food at the Ruusei is generally of high quality from what I've seen on my past visits." Mitsuru stated.

"…past…visits?!" Junpei exclaimed in shock as he stared at the redheaded woman. "What!? You like go there every week or something?!"

"Of course not," Mitsuru replied smoothly and much more calmly than her addressee, "but I have come here occasionally…with my father."

An awkward silence filled the gap, Mitsuru continued, "It's alright. I feel as if the burden is less now that we have accomplished our mission." She said, smiling slightly.

"If you say so…then let's go chow!!" Junpei yelled, abandoning his concerned, respectful mood and turning to run the last few metres to the restaurant.

The group arrived to find the restaurant empty except for the waiters and waitresses that stood ready to welcome arrivals. A waitress dressed in a smart and formal maid uniform came up to them; on seeing the redheaded woman, she smiled and said, "Miss Kirijo? We have your table set for you and your guests. Let me show you all to your seats." The waitress glanced at the dog, but did not voice any complaint; as far as she was concerned, the Kirijo's practically owned the island they lived on, so it was best to let them have their way.

"Hey Minato-kun…could I talk to you for a sec…?" Yukari asked nervously. The blue haired boy turned to look at her then nodded. They both stepped outside the restaurant as the rest of the team went off to their table.

Once they were out on the quiet street, Yukari spoke again, still hesitantly. "I'm sorry for what I said…and for hitting you…" She looked extremely embarrassed and uncomfortable, "You only just got up and all, but I was afraid I'd lost you… For some reason I felt like you weren't ever going to come back, like you had already died…I was, scared…"

"Yeah, so was I." Minato replied empathetically, "But it's okay. It's over now and we're all still here."

"Yeah…I guess you're right…maybe I was just being paranoid." Yukari replied, cheering up slightly. "We should go inside then, everybody's waiting for us."

Minato headed towards the door as somebody grabbed his hand firmly. "You really are here…aren't you?" Yukari asked quietly, her hand trembling as she held onto his. Minato could sense her fear, though he wasn't entirely sure why she was acting that way. He paused for a moment, then turned and pulled her into an embrace. "I'm right here, with you." He added gently.

Yukari clung tightly onto him; taking comfort in knowing that what she held was solid; and real. After a full minute, her grip finally loosened and she held him only by a hand. With a much more relaxed smile, she said, "Let's go." And pulled him through the doors and into the vicinity of the restaurant to where their friends waited.

- - - - -

They were all seated around a large table in the corner. A waitress reached over and removed the "reserved" sign that had been placed at the centre as she passed. Minato watched as she did, and realised that all the other tables also bore the same message; at least Junpei was right about the restaurant being popular. He looked around to see that the interior was spared no cost; glass chandeliers hung from the ceiling, and ornate hand-painted fans hung on the walls. Even the chair he sat on was made of some sort of expensive dark wood and the tablecloth was a sheet of smooth silk. He removed his headphones and placed them into his pocket, unsure of whether or not it would look disrespectful in a place like this. In fact, as he glanced at the any different utensils before him, he realised he had no idea what kind of conduct would be permitted. Looking around, he saw that the others felt the same way; Junpei was picking up each one and examining it with a shrug, Akihiko had pushed his own out of the way and left only one pair of chopsticks before him. The only person that seemed at ease was Mitsuru, she sat back comfortably and looked out the window.

The maid arrived bearing a stack of menus and a pot of tea. She handed out each menu to the tables occupants and then added with a smile, "I should mention that this restaurant will be busy soon, so in order to refrain from any delays with your order, please decide before the other clients do."

The group all opened their menus in unison; it was covered in worn velvet and the items had been printed on in gold script. The menu consisted of both foreign and local dishes; some of which it was impossible to pronounce the name of. While the rest of the S.E.E.S attempted to choose their lunch, Mitsuru had already handed back her menu to the waitress and said, "I would like the Brochette de Poulet au Romarin, Pesto et Blé Tendre."

Mitsuru turned back to the table to find the rest of the occupants staring at her. "Is something wrong…?" She asked, feeling a little self-conscious.

"Uhh….nothing…I guess I'll have the beef teriyaki…." Junpei replied, diverting his attention away from the redhead, whom obviously did not realise how strange her restaurant habits were.

"I would like the sashimi and tempura." Fuuka said next.

"What is escargot? I would like to try it." Aigis asked puzzled. Everybody at the table balked.

"But…that's snails!!" Yukari exclaimed in disbelief.

"Snails…? As in the creatures that are normally found within one's garden?" Aigis replied.

"Yup, those things…are you sure you wanna eat that Ai-chan?" Junpei asked.

"It says on this menu that they have been sautéed in garlic and served fresh with a sprig of parsley. It is very unique, and since we are not going to come here often, I would like to try it."

"Uhhh…" Junpei looked about to argue.

"Well it's your choice. I hope you like it..." Akihiko commented. He strained to keep from laughing; both the expression of the girl android and the rest of the table's occupants were entertaining.

"Minato-kun, would you also like to try the escargot?" Aigis asked in a matter-of-fact tone as if she were asking him to join her for a walk.

Minato cringed as all the eyes turned to him; the blond girl whom had addressed him looked hopeful that he might agree, while on the other hand Junpei was grinning broadly at him with mirth. The others attempted to hide their amusement; even Koromaru had turned to look at him with an excited stare.

"I uhh…hey, what are we going to do about Koromaru?!" Minato said almost wildly, "He can't eat the food on the menu!"

His attempt at diverting the conversation worked. Aigis immediately turned towards the dog looking concerned, "I'm sorry Koromaru…I did not think to bring you any food…"

"Oh don't worry Aigis. I brought a can with us." Ken said from across the table. He withdrew a small container from his pocket and held it out, "It's the same as what Shinjiro-san used to give him…"

"That is great! Koromaru says thank you." Aigis replied, looking greatly relieved as the dog barked happily.

"Have you all ordered?" The waitress asked. The S.E.E.S nodded, and Mitsuru with an amused smile motioned towards the can on the table and said, "And if it would be no trouble, we would like our companion to dine on that."

The waitress looked strangely at the silvery tin object, then nodded in acceptance and added, "That can be arranged. I will go place your order now, if there is anything else you require, do not hesitate to ask." She left the table, looking extremely awkward as she made her way to the kitchen holding the can of dog food gingerly in her hand. The group had to suppress grins as they watched her go.

In the few minutes of interlude as their orders were being made, the restaurant had filled up. It was now 12 o'clock, and many of the company workers were coming out for lunch; they crowded the restaurant and all the tables were soon filled with loud voices and ringing phones.

The food arrived soon after. Steaming hot plates were placed before them and one on the ground for Koromaru. The dog barked in delight and immediately attacked his meal with gusto.

"Man, I don't get how you can be so happy to eat the same stuff all the time Koro-chan." Junpei remarked as he watched the canine feed on his lunch, "I mean, I'd rather starve to death than eat instant ramen every day."

Akihiko shot him a look, though it went unnoticed in the commotion.

"Well now that we have all been served, I would like to express my gratitude for the help you have all provided." Mitsuru spoke, raising a glass up. The others quickly followed suit.

"For us and the continuation of the world." She announced as they all bumped their glasses together. Koromaru, left without a cup clambered his front paws onto the edge of the table and nudged his nose into the array of crystal glasses. The group laughed; today they were truly free and left unburdened by the fear of both losing their own lives and the future of humanity. They were all together again, held by the unbreakable bond of friendship that had seen them through to the end.

_I have a few loose ends to tie up and I'm planning on doing that after this chapter. Hope you enjoyed this chapter, and it wasn't too confusing. If it was, I'll give a lil explanation here. After having left the Velvet Room, the SEES have been reverted back in time to the day at the end of the Journey section of the game. This is the day after Minato falls into a coma and everybody believes him to be dead, instead of course, now Minato is alive thanks to their efforts ____. They have no memory of anything that has happened after having defeated Nyx, so that includes everything before this chapter of the fanfic too lol. The next chapter, "31__st__ March" will see a lot of past revisiting and new decisions for our heros, so I'll see you all next time~ XD_


	15. 31st March

Chapter 15 – 31st March

"Can you believe Kirijo-senpai and Akihiko-senpai are moving out for college tomorrow?" Yukari asked as she sat up on the brown recliner in the dormitory lounge. "I mean, we've been together for about a year now, it's hard to imagine that we're gonna split up."

"Yeah well I'm just jealous that they're outta school. Well at least we're seniors this year, so we can order around all the little kids. But man, I miss the good old days when we could go to Tartarus and kick some ass. I still can't believe Ryoji was Nyx…I mean, he was too cool to wanna kill humanity." Junpei complained.

Aigis, who was sitting on the sofa opposite him nodded, "Yes, I agree. Though I could sense his true being and was threatened by it, I understand he is not a bad person. He wished us well."

"Man, everything turned out weird. We ended up saving humanity and all but nobody even knows or cares. They still act like as long as they're happy now, nothing else matters…" Junpei added, an expression of mixed anger and gloom on his face. "And after all this, I thought we'd be happy."

"But you should be proud of yourself Junpei. We all should, after everything we've done, even if nobody else realises it. We all believe in each other." Fuuka replied softly. She was sitting on the other brown recliner seated around the table. Her usual laptop was absent, she sat with her hands rested on her lap and her eyes adverted to the floor.

"We can't do anything about that." A woman's voice spoke. The group turned to see the redheaded senior standing at the entrance to the hallway. Mitsuru came over and sat down next to the teal haired Fuuka. "We might have saved the world, but we can't reform society." The others all looked away sadly as she spoke; it was a cold disheartening truth.

"On a different note, are you all prepared for the closing of this dorm tomorrow?"

She asked, directing her question at the group at large, but looking sidelong at Junpei.

"Yeah…I guess so…we had so many memories in this place though…" Yukari replied. "I've filled out an app for the girl's dorm though…"

"Since S.E.E.S is no longer required, I have decided to move back to my parent's residence." Fuuka said, looking even more glum as she spoke.

"Hey, why not come with us? Aigis and I are moving to the dorm. You could come too Fuuka!" Yukari asked encouragingly; she knew the difficultly that her friend had when it came to living with her parents.

"No…that's okay. My parents found out that this dormitory was closing down and that Mitsuru-senpai was leaving, so they said I didn't need to live away from home anymore. Since the reason I was allowed to move in here was because senpai spoke to them about allowing me to take part in a school society that could greatly increase my chances of educational success…" Fuuka said, a faint smile appearing on her face; the redheaded senior next to her smiled wryly.

"I take it you're not upset that I lied to them?" Mitsuru replied.

"Of course not!" Fuuka said, looking distressed that the senior had even suggested it, "I've had so much fun here! It's so good to have friends and people I can rely on…"

"Hey speaking of friends, where did Minato go?" Junpei asked, looking around.

"He's taking Koro-chan for a walk. Something you've never helped with." Yukari replied, slightly annoyed.

He was about to retort when a knock sounded on the door. Everybody turned to look as Mitsuru approached the door and opened it.

"Here is your order of gourmet sushi." A man said as he indicated towards the large boxes his partner carried. "I will need you to sign here." He added, handing her a clipboard.

"Oh yeah! Sushi!!" Junpei exclaimed as he jumped off his seat and bounced over. He took the boxes just as Mitsuru handed back the documents.

"I hope you enjoy you meal." The delivery man said as he bowed respectfully and the two men left.

"Yeah! It's the best sushi in the world, and it's all ours!!" Junpei yelled gleefully as he brought the containers of delicacies to the table.

"I'll go get the plates." Fuuka said, smiling at his enthusiasm as she vacated her seat. The girl next to her got up as well, "I'll help you Fuuka. And don't even think of starting until we're all set up Stupei!" Yukari added as she followed the teal haired girl away into the kitchen.

"I will go inform Akihiko." Mitsuru spoke, as she too exited the room and disappeared up the stairway; the click of her heels sounding as she walked.

- - - - -

"Akihiko?"

She knocked on the door, noticing as she did that the nameplate that bore the young boxer's name had been removed.

"Yeah? It's open so you can come in." A voice replied from inside.

Mitsuru reached for the doorknob and pushed the door in. The room was very different to what she remembered; boxes lined the walls and half-filled bags sat on the floor and bed. The occupant of the room; the silver haired teen stood with his arms filled with assorted objects. He dropped the stack onto the desk as his dorm mate entered, looking a little desolate.

"Something wrong?" Mitsuru asked.

"...it's nothing…" Akihiko replied most unconvincingly.

The redheaded council leader would not relinquish the matter easily. "Akihiko." She replied testily, gazing at him. Her target almost cowered at her look; unconsciously taking a step back to put more space between them and realising he was already against the wall.

"Akihiko." She said again; even more sternly.

"I don't know…" Akihiko finally replied. "…it's just a weird feeling like there's something I'm forgetting. Something important…"

"Well at this time of the year, with us both moving off to college and this dorm closing down, there's bound to be many things we had to keep in mind, so don't let it worry you."

"No it's not that. It's a feeling that I'm making the wrong decision, and there's a reason for it, but I can't remember why…like some sort of deja vu." He continued, an almost pleading look for understanding in his tone.

"This is a tough decision for us both. I've had to also consider what is best for the Group rather than take the path I had chosen, I understand that you may have regrets." Mitsuru replied, noting the crestfallen expression on his face as she spoke. Akihiko frowned and turned back to the armload of objects, Mitsuru couldn't understand what he meant, especially since even he wasn't even sure of what he was saying.

"So why did you come here?" He asked, diverting the conversation. The redhead raised an eyebrow at his obvious attempt to change the subject, then said, "I came to inform you that our dinner preparations are complete, and that we require your presence now."

"Is that so? I've still got a lot to pack you know."

"This will be our last meal together. I would like it if you did not argue." She said, shooting him one last commanding glare that almost caused him to back away even more.

"I will see you downstairs. I hope you realise there is no point opposing me about it." She added in the same tone, before smiling to herself as she exited.

- - - - -

"Senpai, you must really be excited to be in your final year of high school. It must be nice being a senior the way Junpei-kun talks about it."

"Junpei always exaggerates, it's not that great." Minato replied to the young boy who walked beside him.

Ken looked up at the blue haired teen, a suddenly cheerful expression on his face, "I knew he was lying! But I hate how we all how to move out tomorrow, it was nice staying here with all of you guys," His expression fell as he continued, "I wasn't pitied all the time."

The large albino dog next to him barked then came round and threw his front paws up onto the boys' shoulders. Tongue lolling out, he licked the boy on the cheek.

Ken nearly fell as the weight of the canine landed on him, but as he straightened, he smiled; wiping away at the wetness on his face with his sleeve. "Yeah I know Koro-chan. I shouldn't think about that anymore, I have proper friends now."

Koromaru barked again, then turned and raced off ahead towards the dormitory door that had just come into sight. As he reached the top of the steps, he turned back and barked again, obviously excited.

"Guess we should hurry, I hope they're not waiting for us." Ken said. He broke into a run, leaving the older teenager walking alone. Minato shrugged, then chased off after him.

- - - - -

"We're back!" Ken announced as he pushed open the door and Koromaru streamed in through the gap.

"Welcome back!" Aigis said, the usual sincere smile on her face.

"And not a moment too soon!" Junpei replied grinning, as he slouched back onto the sofa, "Hey Minato, got anything planned for the break? I was planning on hitting the arcade tomorrow. The holidays never looked better!"

Minato, whom had just come through the doorway frowned slightly; "Shouldn't you be looking for a place to stay?"

"What?! Iori, I thought you told me you had it all arranged!" Mitsuru reprimanded loudly as she arrived at the base of the stairs.

Junpei cringed at her voice, obviously unaware she had returned from retrieving Akihiko. "Well, I uh…I do have it all arranged! Minato said I come crash at his new dorm room until I found a place."

"Minato!! Stop being so nice to Stupei!" Yukari admonished as she appeared from the kitchen, carrying an armload of plates and an annoyed expression on her face. Fuuka appeared behind her, carrying handfuls of cutlery; she looked around curiously at the many faces, then asked in a confused tone, "What's going on?"

"Uhh…nothing Fuuka-chan…right guys? There's nothing wrong…" Junpei said unsteadily, glancing at the imposing redheaded woman as he spoke.

Mitsuru pursed her lips, wanting to continue reproving him about his lack of organisation, but at the same time knowing that this was not the right time. "I will speak to you about it later Iori." She finally said.

Minato took a seat next to Junpei, who had sunken into the padding. He groaned, "Man, give me a break will ya? Why is everybody so uptight, we should be having fun!"

"I agree, the best way for us to have fun is to do so together." Aigis said. The other occupants in the room smiled; the words brought back memories of the last time she had spoken them, "Yeah you're right Aigis. We should be celebrating." Yukari agreed as she came over and placed the plates on the table and took a seat beside her. The other members of the team followed suit.

They were beginning to serve each other when a voice spoke, "What did I miss?"

Mitsuru turned and said in an almost grave tone of voice, "Akihiko, better late than never."

"Hey I've been busy packing." He replied as he approached. He stopped when he reached the tv, "I wonder if there's more news about the Apathy Syndrome…" He said as he switched it on. A cool female voice spoke from the news channel; "And that concludes our sports update. Now onto our highlight, a new department complex has been constructed in Hokkaido…"

"Nothing yet, I suppose the hype has died down. It's not big news anymore." Akihiko commented as he took a plate and joined the group.

The next half hour passed in silence as the team dined and the news reporter continued to deliver the days' updates.

"And now, it seems that the epidemic in Port Island has come to a close. The number of Apathy Syndrome cases is down from last month, which seems to mark an end to this strange illness. However, surveys show that the number of people who report serious stress in everyday life has not decreased. According to research carried out by the Ministry of Health and Welfare…"

Junpei shuffled in his seat and pulled out his cellphone. He checked it and with an expression of surprise said, "Whoa, when'd it get so late?"

"It's almost midnight…" Mitsuru added, "It's hard to believe we've spent the evening doing nothing. Sitting here reminds me of those days…Perhaps that's why." She said reminiscently. The others nodded in agreement.

"I think I can understand. I have so many memories of this lounge that I find myself spending time here for no reason." Fuuka responded.

"It's the same for me. When I'm here, I think about when we were still fighting…It's strange…since my memories of that time are more painful than happy." Ken commented from his seat. "I wonder why, lately it feels like there's something wrong, that something bad is about to happen…is it just me?"

Ken looked around at the others seated around the table. Akihiko caught his eye and said, "I think I know what you mean. Everything turned out alright, and we're all alive, but instead of feeling like we saved the world, it feels like we screwed up."

Nobody responded to this, they were all stuck in their own private thoughts and a silence filled the room. The voice of the newscaster continued to speak; "…and that's the weather. At the tone, the time will be midnight."

The group watched in silence as the television counted down the last five seconds of the day; "Blip…blip…blip…blip…BEEP!"

"BANG!"

"CRASH!"

"AHH!!"

"JUNPEI!!"

"WOOF!!"

"I-That wasn't my fault!!" Junpei gasped from his position on the floor. He sat wedged in between the sofa and table looking distinctly ruffled. "You guys were all jumpy and then all of a sudden Minato jerked and it kinda freaked me out!"

"Man Stupei I bet it was just your imagination, and look, you knocked over the food too!!" Yukari shouted loudly. The team were all on their feet from the mishap; looking somewhat shaken, and one dish of half eaten sushi was strewn over the carpet.

"But something did feel kind of odd…it can't be…the Dark Hour again?" Fuuka asked worriedly. Junpei clambered to his feet and raced towards the windows; pulling back the drapes, he announced to the room at large, "Nope, everything's fine out there!"

"Good evening. It is now April the 1st. Here's a recap of the news from the 31st…" The newscaster continued to speak coolly from the television. The sound made them all jump as they turned back towards it.

"March the 31st…didn't something happen…?" Akihiko asked, looking around at his dormmates for a sign of agreement.

"It feels weird…I have a bad feeling about this…" Yukari responded nervously.

Junpei raced back to the group suddenly, causing everybody to stare. He immediately grabbed the arm of the blue haired boy and with a voice of panic, yelled, "Hey, Minato! What's wrong?! Are you alright man?!"

Minato looked distinctly ill; swaying on the point of exhaustion and trembling excessively. Then suddenly, he toppled back over onto the sofa unconscious, with Junpei still gripping onto his arm.

"Minato!"

"Minato-kun!"

Both Yukari and Aigis sprung from their places and rushed to him, while the rest of the team looked appalled at what was taking place.

"ZzzzTT!"

The sound of sparks blowing caught them all by surprise. Aigis had stopped in mid flight, electrical currents could be seen running over her mechanical body. The moment played through almost in slow motion as the currents flashed, then blew out completely and the android girl too fell to the floor; unmoving.

"What's going on?!" Fuuka cried, looking between the two fallen teammates in panic. The others showed as much distress as she did.

"I don't know!!" Yukari shouted back.

"Calm down. The situation must be handled now! Akihiko, Iori, help Aigis onto a seat. Amada, call the Tatsumi Memorial Hospital."

- - - - - - - -

"It is a pleasure to see you here again."

They opened their eyes to an oddly familiar room; draped in purple cloth and mysteriously empty, except for the few furnishings that sat in the very centre; the space was both inviting and cold.

"Please, take a seat. Both of you." The hunchedback man said, as he gestured before him. Two chairs sat facing him where normally there was one. Minato turned to his side to find the blond Aigis facing him with the same slightly bewildered look on her face. They said nothing but stepped forward and took the chairs together, something odd was definitely going on, but then again, the old man was odd himself.

"I apologise for disturbing your celebrations. No doubt those friends of yours are fretting over your unconscious bodies as we speak. But I had to call you both here, as now is the time when both your futures break away from the destinies you once held."

Minato frowned slightly, though Igor's words did not make any discernable sense to him, he felt a chill; a strange feeling that something large had occurred that he should have known about. He glanced over to his teammate; Aigis was looking perplexed, though she held no concern on her expression.

"You first, boy. Do you remember our contract?" Igor asked, snapping his fingers. A document appeared on the table. "You of course completed your contract, abiding by the laws to accept and accomplish your destiny…do you remember our last meeting?"

Minato nodded slowly. His mind felt fuzzy, but he could just feel the fragments of flying emotions of his last visit; confusion, fear…and a melancholy acceptance of something he was meant to do. Everything seemed to be coming back in an extremely slow rate, putting together a picture he had yet to know the true meaning of.

"Did I…die…?" He asked suddenly. He wasn't sure what made him say this, but something within him knew.

Aigis sat rigid in her chair, facing him with concern. "Minato, Minato-san…" She said quietly.

"No, and rather, yes. Depending on how you wish to interpret this. Do you remember the day you left this room? What occurred when you called forth the power of your social bonds?"

"I…had to stop Nyx…" Minato continued slowly. "It was part of the contract we had…but I knew, I was the only one who could do it…"

"Minato-san…" Aigis said again, as she watched him sadly.

"Yes, you created a Seal that would repel Nyx from entering this world. But in doing so, you gave up your life in this world." Igor replied. "But of course, things have now changed. It seems that the power of wild card has moved to revoke your fate."

"No…Minato…" Aigis whispered from her seat. The blue haired teen turned to her, to find the girl struck down in sorrow, tears crawling down her cheeks. "I promised, to protect you….and I failed. I made it my reason for living…" She continued miserably.

"But I'm here now. You didn't do anything wrong." Minato replied, putting a hand on top of hers comfortingly.

"Indeed. In fact, you instead continued to fight for an answer. This was the beginning of our contract, no? In drawing the power of the wild card to yourself, you were able to change the fate of his life. Do you remember this day? The nightmare you faced on this very night?" The hunchbacked asked mysteriously, as he turned towards the android girl.

"What do you mean…?" Aigis asked, her blue eyes shone with worry.

"You cannot have forgotten what has taken place in your memory. Do you remember your sadness? What became of it?" Igor asked.

"I…" Aigis stopped. Closing her eyes she could see her thoughts more clearly. The room waited in silence for her, as she focussed on something within. There was something there, or rather, someone. A part of her, yet an unique individual too…

"Metis…" She whispered.

"Yes, the girl Metis was born from the feelings that rendered you human. Without such, you were no more than the reason for your creation. I am sure you are capable now of revealing her location to us."

Aigis frowned slightly. She shook her head, trying to fight through the haze; _So many memories…how long were we stuck in there for…? …the Abyss of Time…she attacked me the first time we met…we didn't trust her…we didn't know what she was…_

"She called me 'Sister'…" Aigis whispered. Everything was coming back to her. Remembering the other girl android helped put things back into place.

"…but she was, me. A part of me. I stopped wanting to be human, and ended up creating her, and the Abyss." Aigis finished. She found herself crying once again. "Metis, where are you?" She asked aloud.

"_I'll right here. I'm glad you didn't forget me. Now we can be together forever, so I don't have to be alone anymore. Right Sis?"_

The voice spoke from within her, yet seemed to fill the space; Aigis reached up and placed a hand over her heart. Smiling despite her tears, she replied, "Yes, I won't leave you alone ever again."

"_I love you, Sister!" _Metis replied exuberantly, her voice echoing within the shady walls of the Velvet Room.

Light suddenly filled the room. Aigis looked around to find that it was radiating from her own metallic body. A large shadowy figure appeared over her; the Persona, Athena. Light engulfed the being, and as it dulled down, she saw red wings emerging from the space.

"Psyche…" Aigis said in awe as she watched the being descend gracefully back into her. Igor leaned over his table to examine the glowing creature; "Ah, it seems the joining of you two has brought about a change in your powers. I hope it serves you well."

Igor turned back to the blue haired teen sitting in the other chair. "Now you; summon your Persona."

Minato looked slightly perplexed at the order, but did so. Calling upon the beings within him, he only heard the voice of one. A humanly Persona emerged, carrying a lyre within its arms.

"Yes, Orpheus." Igor responded to the somewhat surprised look on the teenagers' face. "As you are both free of the contract of the wild card, and no longer serve as a vessel for Death, your true Persona now stands alone within you."

Minato nodded in understanding towards the hunchbacked, as Aigis watched his persona in awe as it descended back into his form, knowing that she once used that very same being in battle.

"Both of you have now fulfilled your destiny and therefore our contracts will be terminated. I can offer neither of you any more of my services, so it is now that we must say our farewell; For once you leave this Velvet Room, you no longer hold the keys to return. I trust you both have found your purpose in the road of life."

"Yes." Aigis replied promptly. "I will live as a human, with both sorrow and joy. And I will protect my friends." She said, smiling over at the teenager seated beside her.

Minato returned her smile, then spoke to the old hunchback and his assistant; "I will continue to watch over the Seal and make sure Nyx never makes it back into this world."

Igor nodded. "Then now we must part. Both of you move onto your journey through life without my assistance. It was an honour to be your host in the Velvet Room."

Elizabeth stepped forward from the shadows as both Minato and Aigis got up from their seats. "I had so much fun with you Minato. I wish you both luck for your journey ahead!"

"Thanks." Minato replied, somewhat sheepishly as he remembered the bizarre dates they had gone on.

"Thank you, Elizabeth-san. It was nice to meet you." Aigis said sincerely. "Shall we go now?" She asked the blue haired teen. Minato nodded and they both turned and headed out the door. As they stepped out the last sound they heard was the door snapping shut.

- - - - -

"No way…it's like her circuit's totally fried! Are you seriously saying you can't fix her?! Man, after all this who would have thought it would turn out this way again!"

"We all just got our memories back…I wonder if Aigis-san knew already, like last time…"

"Sir, there must be a way to repair her parts. She was already reconstructed once, I'm positive it is possible."

"I'm sorry, but the only way I could see would be to dismantle everything and keep the shell. The motherboard is beyond repair and nearly all the circuit fuses have blown…wait, what is that?"

"What is wrong?" Mitsuru asked as the mechanic leaned back over the limp android body and examined the fuses. He turned back to look at the group of anxious SEES, then spoke, "I hear something…strange. It sounds like a heartbeat…but that's not possible…"

The SEES collectively leaned in closer. Suddenly they were met by a pair of open blue eyes.

"I…what happened…?" Aigis asked as she slowly got up. The mechanic stared dumbfounded at the robotic girl. "How…is this possible…?"

"How are you feeling Aigis?" Mitsuru asked.

"I'm okay…but what about…" Aigis trailed off as she turned towards the sofa where the limp form of Minato lay, being monitored by a doctor. Almost as if she had sent a signal to him, he awoke. Yukari immediately rushed to his side as Minato rubbed his face groggily and pushed himself up into a sitting position.

Mitsuru looked between them, sure she knew where they had just come from, she nodded to herself. "It seems we no longer require assistance here, as both our patients seem to have come round. I thank you both for arriving at such a late hour, but would request you give us time alone now."

"Yes madam." They replied formally, then packed up their belongings and left; the mechanic still staring wonderingly at Aigis.

"It seems to have worked out now. All of it." Mitsuru said to the group around her. All eyes fixated themselves on her.

"Both of your just returned from the Velvet Room, correct? And I'm sure you both had the revelations we just witnessed in the last few hours. We've gone through a lot to say the least."

"I told you something felt off Mitsuru, but you just didn't believe me." Akihiko said, taking a chance to poke at her. Mitsuru glared at him. "But then, who would have thought we screwed with time and all." He added.

"Who cares!" Junpei yelled, grinning. "It all worked out! We got Minato back man! And this means that we get to have another year as seniors!"

"Yeah Stupei, I suppose you'll need it to get better grades!" Yukari retorted, both annoyed yet overjoyed.

"And we'll be together for another year…though I wish we were still staying in this dorm. It was kind of lonely moving out to my own dorm." Fuuka added wistfully.

"So how bout we stay?" Akihiko asked, eyeing the redheaded valedictorian.

"But Akihiko, we are both leaving for college. Who is going to manage this dorm?" Mitsuru replied.

"That's alright. I'm not going." Akihiko replied, to a stunned silence from the rest of the group. He looked around at the staring faces then continued, "I didn't like it over there. I think I can do better here, studying to become an officer like Kurosawa, the book thing just wasn't me. And come to think of it, I still owe Shinji to look after Ken, and Koromaru. So how bout it Mitsuru? I'll take care of this dorm while you're off at college. You know you're gonna need help managing everything and taking charge of the Kirijo Group."

Mitsuru looked around at the yearning faces. "All right." She conceded. "I'll have this dorm reinstated for use for another year. And Akihiko will be in charge. But make no mistake about it, if I return to find this place in disarray, you will be executed!"

Akihiko cringed at her words as the rest of the SEES jumped with joy.

"Great! Does that mean we can all stay here then?" Ken asked excitedly.

"Yup! I'm so glad I haven't packed!" Junpei replied.

"I'm glad we'll all be together again." Aigis said.

Koromaru barked loudly, adding to the din of noise radiating from the team. Minato watched from his seat, smiling contently at the others.

Everything had worked out after all. The SEES were going to stay together, and Nyx had been sealed away.

It was time for a new journey.

- - - - - - - - -

The End

- - - - - - - - -

_Whew, I finally finished this fic! And I apologise for taking so long! For anybody who stuck with me long enough to read the whole thing, thanks! :)__ I hope you enjoyed the ending. I tried to tie in as many loose endings as I could and round it off cleanly. _

_This fic is dedicated to all those that wished for a happier "Minato alive" ending. XD_


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